FOOT AND FIST BOXING is the name given to this Martial Art by its founder, Sensei Paul Guérillot, who used his knowledge and skills from such arts as fencing, ju-jitsu, karate, judo, knife fighting & Savate (French Boxing), to develop this practical method of self-defence. Sensei Paul Guérillot commenced training in Shotokan Karate in 1956 at the age of 26 on the French Riviera under the guidance of William Pavesio – one of the first Black Belts in France. He continued to hone his skills under the instruction of Master Hwung Nam (3rd Dan), Master Mitsusuke Harada (5th Dan) and Mr Plee (2nd Dan).

In 1962, Sensei Paul Guérillot received his Black Belt grading in the Shotokan Karate and taught karate for a number of years until he immigrated to Australia in 1967.

He started formulating the basics of Foot & Fist Boxing in France, but it was not until he arrived in Australia that he taught his new techniques in a formal class. He developed the art of Foot & Fist Boxing by combining the street fighting effectiveness of Savate and the spiritual strength of the traditional martial art of Shotokan Karate.

In 1970, Alfonso Scibilia commenced training in Shotokan Karate at Melbourne University, under the guidance of Sensei Paul Guérillot. His interest in martial arts led him to Sensei Guérillot’s dojo in Hawthorn where he was introduced to Foot & Fist Boxing. He continued training in both martial arts and was graded to 1ST Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate in March 1974 and 2nd Dan in 1980.

Alfonso was graded to Black Belt in Foot & Fist Boxing in June 1974. His commitment to training and teaching the martial arts, earned him the 2nd Dan in Foot & Fist Boxing in 1975 followed by the 3rd Dan in 1977.

In 1971, Mario Scibilia commenced training under Sensei Paul Guérillot at the Hawthorn dojo. Dedication and application to training resulted in Mario achieving the 1st Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and his 2nd Dan Black Belt in Foot & Fist Boxing in 1975.

Alfonso and Mario were amongst the first members within the Hawthorn dojõ to be conferred the Black Belt grading in Foot and fist Boxing, and are currently the most active and technically proficient in the art.

In subsequent years, the Shotokan and Foot & Fist Boxing arts flourished as Alfonso and Mario established several martial arts clubs closely affiliated with Sensei Paul Guérillot. Several other senior Black Belts also started their own karate clubs. This growth led to political differences between the various clubs, which eroded the close affiliation previously enjoyed. This transformation resulted in the various clubs taking different paths and operating independently.

Alfonso and Mario Scibilia focused their efforts on the development and progression of Foot and Fist Boxing. Their club grew and trained some of the most experienced and skilled exponents of this art.

Sensei Paul Guérillot had a passion for spear fishing that sadly took his life one weekend in 1995. He failed to surface and was discovered to have drowned while spear fishing in Flinders, Victoria. Reconciliation efforts had commenced to re-unify the clubs following Sensei Paul Guérillot’s passing, but regrettably a consensus could not be reached for consolidation to occur.

Against this backdrop, Alfonso and Mario Scibilia, arguably the most experienced practitioners of Foot & Fist Boxing, founded the Australian Foot & Fist Boxing Association in 1996. Its objective was to promote and further develop this unique style as a martial art in its own right.

The Australian Foot & Fist Boxing Association is the major organisation promoting the art and continues to seek opportunities to broaden the practice of the art and to further develop the core techniques created by Sensei Paul Guérillot.