Kamloops' Tom LaRoche won the world kickboxing championship at home on July 12, 1984 (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Earl Seitz

WORLD CHAMPION

LaRoche celebrating 35 years since winning world kickboxing championship in Kamloops

Jul 11, 2019 | 4:14 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was before any Memorial Cups, Briers or Canada Games.

Still eight years before the Riverside Coliseum.

On a steamy July night 35 years ago Memorial Arena was the place to be — the centre of the kickboxing universe that night. People packed in like sardines in a sauna for one of the biggest sporting events of a generation in Kamloops.

Tom LaRoche took on a brash and confident Texan, and reigning champion Ishmael Robles, for the World Kickboxing Championship.

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“So he came in thinking, ‘I’m going to little town B.C.’ I can still remember a comment he made.” says LaRoche. “Where’s Kamloops, and who in the hell is Tom LaRoche?”

Before the 1984 fight, Robles said, “You know, Tom’s a good guy. Seems like a real sincere person, coming into his hometown, but he’s going to have to do a heck of a lot to beat me.”

The pre-fight hype carried over to the main event. LaRoche won a hard fought 12-round split decision and became the new World Kickboxing Champion.

He went on to make three title defences, and then retired the champion.

“Kickboxing basically kind of fell off the map.” says LaRoche. “And then it started coming back in the form of Muay Thai and then UFC started to come into the picture.”

Thirty-five years after that historic fight July 12, 1984, Tom LaRoche is still in the game — but in a different way.

He runs his own gym and training centre on the North Shore of Kamloops, but his focus now is more directed toward building champions in life than champions in the ring.

“It’s fitness, and it keeps you healthy.” says LaRoche. “You can have all kinds of dreams, but if you don’t have your health you can’t fulfill your dreams.”

LaRoche has spent much of the last 35 years helping people to fulfill their dreams through physical, mental and spiritual fitness.

“I’m a pastor now. I’ve started a church with my wife, Generation Victory Centre.” says LaRoche.

Generation Victory Centre is right across from the LaRoche World Gung-fu and kickboxing centre. Training bodies on one side and spirituality on the other.

“We beat ’em up here, and then we send them over to church for healing.”

To mark the 35th anniversary since his world championship, LaRoche is hosting a community fair called the Summer Victory Festival on Friday night.

It will be a carnival atmosphere with a concession that begins at 7:00 p.m. at the LaRoche Gung-Fu and Kickboxing Centre on Tranquille Road across the street from NorKam Secondary School.

On Saturday, July 13, the four-time world champion is offering free kickboxing classes starting at 2:30 p.m. with kids before teens and adults can get a lesson from LaRoche at 3:30 p.m.