By Rich Thompson Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - Updated: 09:43 AM EST
Alex ’Assassin’ Karalexis. (Staff photo by Matt Stone)
Alex “Assassin” Karalexis practices 21st-century pugilism and finds time to share his expertise with Plymouth County correction officers and Army Rangers.
Karalexis, a 29-year-old Boston native, has relocated to Las Vegas to build his resume and attain a championship belt. Before migrating to the Nevada desert, the mixed martial artist performed his civic duty by offering instruction to local correction officers. He also is a frequent guest of the Army Rangers at Fort Benning, Ga., where he conducts seminars on hand-to-hand combat.
“I’ve gone down there quite a bit after the head of the Modern Army Combative Unit (Ted Larson) contacted me,” Karalexis said. “Those guys are animals and they come to me for advice.”
Correction officer Dave Armstrong, who was Karalexis’ wrestling coach at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, has taken what he and his co-workers have learned and put it to good use.
“If you are ever in a one-on-one situation, you know you can handle yourself,” Armstrong said. “(He and Karalexis) used to work out together three or four days a week, and it gives you a little confidence walking through that jail.”
Karalexis makes a hard living in World Extreme Cagefighting, a splinter group under the umbrella of Dana White’s Ultimate Fighting Championship. The WEC contests are staged in a smaller, 25-foot octagon and require a broader range of self-defense disciplines.
“Each art in and of itself is fantastic,” Karalexis said. “You have boxers and kickboxers who appreciated the wrestling aspects, and the wrestlers learn an appreciation of what it means to stand up and fight.”
The undefeated Karalexis underwent a thorough workout yesterday at the Sityodtong martial arts studio in Somerville, part of a nine-city training tour promoting his June 3 lightweight match against Josh Smith at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The fight, televised on Versus, will be the first WEC bout broadcast live nationally.
Karalexis’ aggressive tactics and whirlwind style have made him a popular attraction, and his bout with Smith is important for both men. The winner likely will get a shot at lightweight champion Rob “Razor” McCollough, and the sizable payday that comes with it.
Veteran martial arts trainer Mark Dellagrotte, the proprietor of Sityodtong, put Karalexis through a vigorous session that concentrated on technique and situational fighting.
The real fun began when Karalexis took on four different fighters in a sparring session.
“I like to get in there and fight,” Karalexis said. “I would consider myself a stand-up fighter because I win by knockout, but my foundation is wrestling, and with a lot of ground and pound.”
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