Mo's BIO

Maurepaz “The Mambo Kid” Auguste (a.k.a “Mo”) although from Haitian descent, was born and raised in Newark, NJ during the infamous "Newark Riots," as what he has labeled as "The Economic Prison". During his youth, Mo was constantly in trouble with the law. He feels his challenging upbringing stems from the environment and influences around him coupled with the poor choices he made as a result. He grew up with a gang that was known at the time as the "Double Deuce" mainly because they were based on 22nd Street and 18th Avenue in Newark, NJ as well as the fact that there were 22 of them. Sadly today, there are only 3 known members to be alive and 2 that are not in prison. Auguste is one of the 2 that left the gang world with his newfound confidence to better his life while discovering his passion for Boxing/Kickboxing/Martial Arts.

 

He never gave up and believed in himself which is what brought him the success he has in his career today. After a near fatal accident at age 20, he woke up and gained the tenacity to change his life path not allowing any “Economic Prison” to stand in his way. He was forced to see the world as a new man and focused his abilities towards more positive solutions. Since he was a high school dropout, he immediately went back to get his Diploma, went to College, and pursued Boxing and the Martial Arts whole-heartedly. Mo knows that Martial Arts not only saved him but also fueled exciting opportunities in his line of work routed by the amazing spirit of ambition he gained from doing what he truly loves.

  

In 2001, he received a debilitating injury while defending his title and began to teach the combat sports in order to make ends meet. As a result, he became an instructor at a 5 Star Health Club in NYC where he discovered a lucrative new line of work as a personal trainer/instructor. He takes his teaching seriously and because of his discipline and dedicated service, his diversified clientele has grown exponentially (Actors, Athletes, Musicians, CEO’s and more…).

 

Mo has actively competed in Boxing and Kickboxing since 1985, accumulating many amateur titles in both sports before turning Pro in 1997. He also started promoting boxing events in 1997 with W.A.R. Boxing Promotions under CEO Kurtis Ford. Mo eventually began to promote his own events. As a result, Mo realized early on the competitive nature of the sport and began to train with only the best names in the business. He sought work as a sparring partner and figured out that this is the best way to truly learn the tricks of the trade. He was successful in his endeavor, sparring with many of today’s world champions such as Roy Jones Jr., James "Buddy" Mcgirt and Felix Trinidad to name a few. He trained as a Kickboxer under the tutelage of Larry "Thunderfoot" Cureton, the WKO US Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion. This education served him well for he won the U.S. PKF Super middleweight kick boxing title in 2000 and then the WKO World Middleweight Full-Contact Kickboxing Title in 2001 at Madison Square Garden in NYC while also maintaining a 9 û 1 record in professional boxing. In 2009, after winning another fight at MSG, Mo received the World Champion Kickboxer Fighter of the Year Award by the Great Grandmaster Aaron Banks World Professional Martial Arts Organization 2009 Hall of Fame.

 

Mo’s work doesn’t stop at the gym, he gives back and helps at risk youth outside work as well. In 2003, Mo traveled to Amsterdam to open up a gym for those kids facing adversity and became their mentor. Auguste named the foundation "The Warrior’s House", based on the principle created by a 16 century samurai by the name of Miyamoto Musashi. His mission was to rehabilitate these underprivileged children and is scheduled to open three more similar gyms in Spain and one in the US. He continues to support various charities around the world that focus on giving children the guidance and skill-set he lacked as a child to support them to achieve their dreams as he did!