Whanganui teenager Jake Hood moves his martial arts career up a notch

Whanganui 17-year-old Jake Hood (right) was not out of his depth against Aucklander Stephen Williams in the second of two bouts at the National Match Fight Karate Championships in Napier.

Whanganui teenager Jake Hood steps out of his comfort zone for the second time in a matter of weeks when he competes in a regional judo championship event on the Kāpiti Coast this weekend.

Just weeks ago the 17-year-old stepped out of the colts grade to fight in the senior men's division of the National Match Fight Karate Championship in Napier for the first time.

The rise in grade did not appear to faze the young yellow-belt karate exponent despite being outweighed by up to 40kg against his two opponents.

Hood lost both bouts narrowly, but gave experienced Auckland fighters Elisha Felagai-Taito and Stephen Williams plenty to think about.

Proud father Richard Hood, a 15-time national title holder in various forms of martial arts, said his son had shown a tonne of grit in his first appearance in the men's division.

"In his first time fighting against men and outweighed by 40kg, he was either going to grow a set or drop a set," Hood snr said.

"He definitely grew a set, they were very close losses. Jake actually produced a knockdown in his second fight, although it was ruled otherwise. He got so much experience from this event – it was invaluable.

"Jake fights again this weekend, but this time it's Judo in a regional competition in preparation for the nationals in Wellington later in the year.

"He loves the mat, it's his home and has been since he watched me and his mum Tracey train and fight as a toddler. I was never nervous heading into any of my fights, but I was bricking myself watching Jake in Napier – I've never been so nervous, but I needn't have been, he's a far better fighter than I was at that stage of my career," Hood snr said.