King Cowboy reigns supreme at Australian K1 championships in Adelaide

WONTHAGGI’s favourite son has done it again. Santo ‘King Cowboy’ Joma electrified a packed house at the Adelaide Oval winning an Australian K1 championship bout in devastating fashion at the Diamondback Fighting Championship.

Fighting inside the legendary William Magarey Room Joma secured a spectacular second-round technical knockout (TKO) against South Australian local Harry ‘Lightning’ Horsell.

The highly anticipated 80kg co-main event delivered on every ounce of its pre-fight hype.

Contested under caged K1 rules with unforgiving 4-ounce gloves, the matchup promised fireworks from the opening bell, featuring two of the most dangerous strikers in the nation going head-to-head in a high-stakes, stand-up war.

Horsell, a seasoned professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist out of Adelaide’s Cardio-Flex Gym, held the distinct advantage of fighting on his home turf. Despite the partisan crowd backing their local hero, it was Joma who completely stole the show.

Stepping into the DFC cage with confidence to burn, the charismatic Joma won over the South Australian audience with his infectious energy, showmanship, and unpredictable, power-laden fighting style.

From the outset of the first round, both men looked to establish dominance. Horsell utilized his professional experience to test Joma with crisp striking combinations and high-action clinch work. However, Joma’s raw power and unique movement proved difficult to contain.

Fresh off the back of a gruelling training camp, the Wonthaggi fighter looked sharper and more dangerous than ever, absorbing Horsell's early pressure before finding his own rhythm.

The decisive breakthrough came in the second round.

Joma unleashed a barrage of heavy hands and explosive strikes that quickly overwhelmed his opponent. Finding his range with precision, 'King Cowboy' landed a series of devastating blows that left 'Lightning' visibly rocked.

Sensing the finish, Joma pressed forward with relentless aggression. Seeing Horsell unable to intelligently defend himself under the onslaught, the referee stepped in to declare a TKO victory.

The triumphant win marked a monumental milestone for Joma, whose journey to the top of the Australian combat sports scene has been nothing short of inspirational. Arriving in Australia from Sudan as an eleven-year-old, Joma faced the immense challenge of not knowing a single word of English.

He relied heavily on the support of close friends and watched television to learn the language and adapt to his new home. Years of dedication, discipline, and hard work culminated in Sunday's career-defining performance.

By capturing the Australian Championship, Joma has firmly cemented his status as one of the most exciting and watchable fighters in the country. His knack for delivering Fight of the Night performances continues to thrill fight fans and promoters alike.

Trainer Brad Meldrum’s advice for Santo before the fight was to not live in the moment for too long. “I get excited going into the ring,” Joma admitted.

“Try to concentrate on the bout and not your entry,” the exuberant Joma was warned.

Despite starting out full of confidence, Harry Horsell caught Joma with a left hand after a couple of combinations in the first 30 seconds in the match and King Cowboy was sent to the floor for a full count of eight.

“I got the count, then stood up and started to apply the pressure,” recalled Joma.

“It switched on the lights.”

A legendary Joma left hand hook quickly put Horsell on the canvas for the count.

“At the end of the first round at best it was close to a draw,” said Joma.

“I was a lot more switched on in the second round, I really needed to put things together.”

Horsell dropped to the canvas under a flurry of punches as the two continued to exchange blows, until they both went down together after catching each other on the chin.

“I knocked him to the canvas two more times and had him against the cage,” said Joma.

As Horsell buckled under a flurry of punches and an upper cut from Joma, the referee called a technical knock-out. Joma had overcome Harry Horsell’s height advantage and greater reach by applying the pressure with his punches.

With a fight now likely in Japan, the six foot (185cm) King Cowboy could be forced to fight at 75kg in the middleweight division, a big drop from his normal training weight of 88kg.

“I’m just enjoying my journey, and love to inspire local youth in the town,” said Joma.

“It’s about not giving up on myself,” he said.

Training six days a week Joma puts much of that time into shadow boxing, gym work with lots of cardio and pad work with trainer Meldrum. Admitting to some soreness in his legs after a fight K1 fans can still see King Cowboy occasionally pull on his footy boots.

“I played football at Dalyston, and the club really helped me out.”

Still enjoying his football the current SCC Australian Light Heavyweight K1 Champion can be seen from time to time lining up for Poowong.

“There’s not enough money in the fight game to go fully professional,” said Joma who is actively chasing sponsors. Potential sponsors should contact Heenan Taekwondo.