MB667
14-10-2005, 09:12
It seems that the longer time the Romanians needed to wait till being able to see their flag featured at a Pride promotion has produced some bulk. Alexandru Lungu, former judoka and pretty well known for being one of the strongest Romanians in terms of power, if not "the" strongest, weighed-in at no less than 167 kilos at his 6 ft height. Lungu has the bench-press record set at no less than 287,5 kilos and at the preliminary tests held for being contracted by DSE impressed the appreciators by a very good agility in spite of his huge body mass.
Lungu, aged 31 (born Sept. 3-rd 1974) has had quite extensive judo training in his youth. He is once bronze medalist and 3 times Judo national champion and European champion at under-20 y.o. division. After this first international achievement, he had a doping issue (why don't we then wonder about his size...) and was expelled from the amateur organization but kept training. Lungu's manager, Mr. Vizer, former president of the Romanian Judo Federation, has left the country for what apparently were some criminal affair accusations related to his connexions with the "gray area" of the fighting sports, but in spite of such innuendo is regarded as a very competent manager and was nominated for the position of Chairman of the European Judo Federation (he lost the elections though).
There has been some "hot blood" rised by pretty harsh statements to the press by Lungu's team. They seem pretty confident that the huge size and the grappling skills will do good for the upcoming fight - and it is not an easy opponent Lungu will face for his very first match.
Lungu is set against the UK fighter James "the Colossus" Thompson, who might look much less colossal with 47 kilos disadvantage, but has instead extensive training in striking disciplines under Pele Reid and also has some good MMA experience - his pro record being of 9-2, with both KO's and TKO's by strikes and submissions and only one fight (with Dan Severn) won by decision. Thompson has lost recently to Aleksander Emelianenko but this is no mark of weakness in front of the debutant Romanian.
Unknown to the wide public, Lungu has been labeled innitially as a mere pack of muscles (and some fat...). The hopes of the Romanian fans obviously go to the totally opposite direction. Not being at all grappling-naive, the bet is that he will manage to pass through the dangerous striking arsenal of the opponent and play the game on his own ground... on the ground, that is...
http://www.valetudo.ru/redforum/files/alex1_871.jpg
Lungu, aged 31 (born Sept. 3-rd 1974) has had quite extensive judo training in his youth. He is once bronze medalist and 3 times Judo national champion and European champion at under-20 y.o. division. After this first international achievement, he had a doping issue (why don't we then wonder about his size...) and was expelled from the amateur organization but kept training. Lungu's manager, Mr. Vizer, former president of the Romanian Judo Federation, has left the country for what apparently were some criminal affair accusations related to his connexions with the "gray area" of the fighting sports, but in spite of such innuendo is regarded as a very competent manager and was nominated for the position of Chairman of the European Judo Federation (he lost the elections though).
There has been some "hot blood" rised by pretty harsh statements to the press by Lungu's team. They seem pretty confident that the huge size and the grappling skills will do good for the upcoming fight - and it is not an easy opponent Lungu will face for his very first match.
Lungu is set against the UK fighter James "the Colossus" Thompson, who might look much less colossal with 47 kilos disadvantage, but has instead extensive training in striking disciplines under Pele Reid and also has some good MMA experience - his pro record being of 9-2, with both KO's and TKO's by strikes and submissions and only one fight (with Dan Severn) won by decision. Thompson has lost recently to Aleksander Emelianenko but this is no mark of weakness in front of the debutant Romanian.
Unknown to the wide public, Lungu has been labeled innitially as a mere pack of muscles (and some fat...). The hopes of the Romanian fans obviously go to the totally opposite direction. Not being at all grappling-naive, the bet is that he will manage to pass through the dangerous striking arsenal of the opponent and play the game on his own ground... on the ground, that is...
http://www.valetudo.ru/redforum/files/alex1_871.jpg