NAME:                Daniel ‘Black                               Licorice’McDonald AGE:                   20 NATIONALITY: Vietnamese/American WEIGHT:           135 lb (61 kg), HEIGHT:             5 feet 11 inches CLUB:                 Team Oyama,                             Irvine, California,                             USA TRAINER:          Colin Oyama

Bout on June 10th 2012  by Knockout with knee in 25 seconds         Daniel McDonald was born to be a ring fighter: his father is a professional Mixed Martial Artist who has always pushed him to take up the sport. As a result Daniel began training in Muay Thai at the age of 15. His first fight followed soon afterwards, a defeat to an opponent 20 years older than he was.                 Now Daniel is a full-time student living in Huntingdon Beach, California, and hopes to graduate from college while sustaining a successful fighting career. He has had a total of 14 fights in six years, compiling a record of 8-5-1 overall, 4-2 pro/am. He is in no doubt about his best fight, his most recent where, remarkably, he gained a 2nd round TKO from knees against an opponent who weighed in at 190 pounds against Daniel’s 145 (in itself heavier than his usual fighting weight).         Daniel concedes that, as yet, he has won no titles, but is confident he can make a big name for himself in American Muay Thai. He has now many years of ring experience and thoroughly enjoys fighting and, most importantly, training. Apart from that, he believes in the importance of character in making a champion; he says, ‘I’m a very disciplined and respectful person and I do my best to show it in all aspects of my life. I have always believed that one needs to be a champion outside of the ring before you can be one inside the ring.’         Daniel, one of an increasing number of Americans to favour Hero Sporto kit, carries our good wishes with him for his next fight on March 4th at the Industry Hills Expo Centre in City of Industry, California.