Arm wrestling checks in Saturday in Forrest County

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Arm wrestling has been a [part gf Sean “Boom” Hancock’s life since 1995.

Saturday, Hancock brought his love the sport in the form of a tournament to the Forrest County Multipurpose Center.

About 100 contestants participated in the “Saint Paddy’s Fight and Fit Fest.”

Hancock is a world champion arm wrestler from Petal. He was the first Mississippian to win an international arm wrestling tournament in 2001.

“It’s a really fun sport,” Hancock said. “I’m one of the team captains for Team USA. We take a team overseas, wherever (the international tournament) is every year and compete.

“I wasn’t able to compete last year. I was hurt. I’m actually recovering from an injury now.”

Hancock said a number of highly-ranked arm wrestlers live in the Pine Belt and that those numbers continue to grow.

“It’s a great brotherhood,” Hancock said. “Everybody in the arm wrestling community, basically worldwide, we communicate to each other, and we run into each other somewhere.

“We’re friends with each other and we lift each other up. It’s just a great big brotherhood.”

The sport is more technical than it looks. In fact, Hancock said it is not far removed from Brazilian Jujitsu or mixed martial arts.

“It’s not always the largest guy,” Hancock said. “It’s not always the strongest guy. Matter of fact, most times its not.

“It’s going to come down to the most technical guy.”

Dustin Hyatt of Hattiesburg got started arm wrestling in Hancock’s basement, and at 22 years old, he already has a world championship title.

“It’s an awesome sport, it’s extremely competitive,” Hyatt said. “You have to give your all every single time you’re on the table.

“So, that’s why I love it, because you can’t halfway do it. Everybody is giving their all, all of the time.”

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