Combined Team captain Jason McKay lands a kick to his Japanese opponent during last year's Tri-Asian Championship, in Japan.

By Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

TEAM captain Jason McKay and Paul Shoucair, whose Jamaica Beverages sponsors Jamaica's Busta Fighters, the Combined Martial Arts Team, are confident the Jamaicans will be able to get the better of China when they travel to Hong Kong next week for a July 27 showdown with that country's national Taekwon-do team.

After watching Jamaica beat the United States to lift the Continental World Championship, at the United States Open in Orlando, Florida earlier this month, China immediately offered a challenge on their turf.

Shoucair, whose Jamaica Beverages will be spending $2 million for the Busta Fighters to honour the challenge in Hong Kong, said he was convinced Jamaica could pull off an away-win especially after watching the team top England before defeating the United States, in Orlando.

"These guys have already beaten Japan, in Japan, and although this will be tougher, I believe they can do it," he said.

Upbeat

Meanwhile, captain McKay is upbeat about Jamaica's second trip to the Orient after the team won the Tri-Asian Championship late last year, beating Japan and the Philippines.

"The challenge came as a surprise," McKay told STAR Sports.

"I believe the Chinese are trying to prove a point as New Zealand, who finished ahead of them at the International Taekwon-Do Federation's (ITF) World Championship in Orlando last month, was chosen as the Asia/Pacific representative at the Continental Championship," he said.

"They now believe that by taking on Jamaica, the winners of that showdown, they could somehow get some reprieve," he added.

McKay said although the Combined Team would be somewhat depleted and battered, the Chinese were in for a surprise.

"It was not a lot of notice plus we will have some absentees and significant injuries, but the opportunity is too good to pass up as we want to put the Asian myth to sleep and prove we're the number one team in the world," he said.

"This Asian myth is particularly strong in Jamaica where people still doubt that we beat Japan even though it was on television.

"It's just hard for people in the western world to realise the once dominance of Asia in martial arts no longer exist.

"In fact, the number one ITF team in the pacific region is New Zealand," he pointed out.

Jamaica will have its hands full and will have to rely on microweight Alrick Wanliss, who is in fine form.

With Kenneth Edwards injured and travelling as a reserve, Jamaica will have to rely on world junior U.S. Open champion, Nicholas Dussard, as first man out.

It is likely the reliable Arthur Barrows will hit the mat third and either McKay, Dwayne Brown or Edwards out fourth.

McKay, who normally fights fifth and was not called on at the Continental World Championship could get in ahead of Brown, who has been nursing a string of injuries.

Jamaica will also be without the services of U.S. Open World heavyweight champion Bruce McFarlane and Omar Rose, who are both preparing for October's Seido World Championship, in Japan.

McFarlane, one of four individual gold medallists for Jamaica at the U.S. Open, is the defending World Seido Grand Champion.

"I don't see Wanliss or Dussard losing," said McKay.

"Barrows does not lose team fights and it is a six-man competition so I expect us to be three up before I go in.

"All myself, Dwayne Brown or Edwards will have to accomplish is a draw to take home the prize," he added.