Michael Shawn Bernardo (28 July 1969 – 14 February 2012) was a South African kickboxer and boxer from Cape Town.
Mike Bernardo was of Italian and English heritage and was born in Fishhoek near Cape Town on 28 July 1969.
A lot of children at school were in gangs and they would always pick on me and beat me up because I was a big guy so they could prove their friends they were stronger.
[3] It was under the guidance of former boxing champion Steve Kalakoda where Mike Bernardo received his kickboxing training.
Just as he did against Hug one year before, Bernardo scored a big upset with a huge right cross that knocked the former K-1 World Grand Prix champion out.
Bernardo's other major success took place in 2000 when he won the K-1 World Grand Prix in Fukuoka, beating Jörgen Kruth, Andrew Thompson and then Mirko Cro Cop in the final.
[citation needed] Though he never did win the K-1 World Grand Prix crown, Bernardo proved he could hang with the very best fighters.
In addition to his K-1 career, Mike Bernardo made his professional boxing debut on 28 February 1993, against Delius Musemwa.
After a string of victories he won the vacant WBF title against Dan Jerling by defeating the Czechoslovakian fighter in the sixth round by KO.
In 2001, on 8 June, Mike Bernardo defended his WBF title against Peter McNeeley in Cape Town and knocked McNeely out in just 41 seconds.