And for Copeland, the payoff is far greater than playground bragging rights

This week the High Point native is training for another chance at a world title. On Saturday he'll face Antoine McCrae of New York in an International Sport Karate Association super cruiserweight bout at The Venue on Randleman Road.

This will be the first time Copeland and McCrae have fought.

"Sometimes you get nervous until you get into the ring," Copeland said.

Copeland began martial arts classes at age 7 to gain self-confidence. At 11, he studied a Vietnamese martial art known as Vo Lam Kung Fu in High Point under master Thanh Tran. With the goal of becoming a professional fighter, Copeland earned his first black belt at 14. In 1990, he competed in his first professional match at age 20 -- earning him the nickname "The Kid."

"His strength is his kicking ability, but with his boxing skills, he's also good with his hands," said Cheryl Nance, the promoter for Saturday night's card and a former fighter herself.

Nance has known Copeland for close to 10 years. The two met through various martial arts schools and kickboxing events. Much of Copeland's success comes from his passion for the sport, she said.

"He has a kickboxer's heart," she said. "He loves being in the ring fighting, and he wants to put on a good show."

An insurance agent by day, Copeland says his three-days-on, three-days-off training regimen includes weightlifting, running, bag work and sparring. At 202 pounds, he weighs in at the max of the super cruiserweight class.

In the course of winning six titles, Copeland has competed internationally in Brazil in 1994 and in France in 1998 as a member of a U.S. kickboxing team.

In December, Copeland will fight among 1,000 others at the international World Association of Kickboxing Organizations tournament in Szeged, Hungary.

"When I was younger, I didn't have the self-confidence, but this is what changed that," Copeland said. "This is what I know."


Contact Tarah Holland at 373-7080 or tholland@news-record.com