Stefan,,Blitz,,Leko Revenge In Vegas! *spoiler*

[Hammerkick]

Please print source, artickle by Lindsay Muro photo's by Lindsay Muro / Golden Glory

Stefan Leko was Golden Glory fighter number three to make it to the last 16 in Osaka Japan for the coming elimination tournament. Stefan made a blitzkrieg in Vegas by winning all three fights by KO. Scott Lighty, Carter Williams and Michael Mac Donald could not keep up with Leko who was on a path of distruction. No point victory in Vegas was the assigment and he did just that by koing all of his opponents.
After Chalid " Die Faust" won the last K-1 qualification tournament in the Mirrage it was now the Blitz at the Bellagio.
Never before in the history of K-1 has three fighters from one team made it to the last 16 and it is Golden Glory which proves to have the best quality fighters , trainers and managers pushing their fighters to great hights and preformances.
Congratulations Stefan and Cor Hemmers who proves once again he is the best stand up trainer in the world.
Stefan said in an interview with Fuji tv that he wanted to fight Bonjanski next in Osaka, he said Bonjaski is not a true champion as he beat him before and he became a 2 x champion because the Blitz was not participating because of political reasons.
I hope Bonjaski will exccept my challenge, he will if he is a true K-1 champion.
Stephan will now go to Canada with his girl friend for a week and then he will train harder then ever before with the Golden Glory team. That title is mine this year!!!!


With Sporting Greetings
Bas Boon

[Hammerkick]

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[Gulo gulo]

Gave foto's dank je wel!!!

Maarre.....spoiler....??

[Kameleon]

helemaal geweldig van Leko. wat een topper. De final elemination wordt super spannend. Ik ben benieuwd naar de ' loting' (!). Wat zullen de Japanners gaan ondernemen tegen de Nederlandse en deels-Nederlandse top!!!

[Ben]

mooie fotos ja

[marcelt]

Ja de topic titel is al een spoiler, maar ik vond het niet erg.
Wat een verrassing. Ik dacht dat de blitz er al een beetje uit was bij Leko , maar hij laat ff wat anders zien. En wat een succes voor Hemmers en Boon. Gefeliciteerd Golden Glory. Drie man bij de laatste 16. Wow!
Had de zure kabouter er nog iets over? :wink: (ben vergeten hoe jullie hem noemen)

[marcelt]

LAS VEGAS, August 12, 2006 -- German fighter Stefan Leko, who remarked afterward the result was "never in doubt," powered his way to victory today at K-1 World GP '06 in Las Vegas II tournament at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. In Superfight action on the card, Ray Sefo brutalized Azem Maksutaj.
The event continues the last-chance repechage format that has become a summer tradition for K-1 in Sin City. The year's tournament runners-up, along with regional tournament winners and other impact fighters competed in a classic eight-man elimination tournament for the chance advance to Osaka and the 16-man Final Elimination this September.
The first tournament bout featured Alexey Ignashov of Belarus and boxer Imani Lee of the U.S.

Ignashov is K-1 superstar-in-waiting, a muay thai stylist who won the Europe WGP '03 in Paris, but has been dogged by untimely injuries and irregular performances since. Today, the Bellagio odds board had Iggy at 8/5, making him the favorite to win the tournament.
Ignashov started with low kicks, but Lee was good on the counters, punching hard and reddening the Belorussian's right eye with a tight left hook. A cautious second had neither fighter appearing willing to commit, Lee surprising Ignashov with a couple of kicks, Iggy answering in kind. Ignashov was listless again in the third, this eliciting scattered jeers from the crowd. Finally Ignashov's low kicks came in succession, and now Lee's leg was hurting. Still, Ignashov did not go in for the kill, the only decisive strike he attempted was a high kick that sailed over Lee's head. To his credit Lee stepped in with punches throughout

An unusual tally -- 30-27 on the first judge's first card for Ignashov , 30-27 on the second for Lee. The third card had it 29-28, Ignashov advancing on the narrowest of split decisions.

The second quarterfinal pitted perennial contender Michael McDonald of Canada against Ariel Mastov of Israel.

A popular fighter in Vegas, McDonald had already won three K-1 tournaments here, while fellow muay thai stylist Mastov was added as a late substitute.

A thrilling first round, McDonald's focus and positioning excellent, the Canadian firing in the right straight punches, mixing it up well and scoring a down with a left hook. Mastov had some razzle-dazzle here, spinning in several back kicks, but McDonald was good with his blocking and evasions.

McDonald started the second with a high kick, and while Mastov showed finesse with Kyokushin-style legwork, McDonald remained in control, and got the hard right in again and again -- only Mastov's good chin keeping him standing.

Further creative kicking attacks from the Israeli in the third, but these did not make contact. For his part, McDonald put the right when he saw the chance but was mostly content to ride it out and advance on points. This he did by unanimous decision to get to the semifinals.

Starting the second tournament bracket it was Stefan "Blitz" Leko of Germany and American Scott Lighty.

A veteran kickboxer, Leko is the complete K-1 fighter -- technical, fast and powerful. He won the Vegas GP in 2001, defeating Peter Aerts in the finals with a right straight punch KO that has been replayed numerous times on ESPN highlight reels. Leko was the second favorite here at 5/2. Lighty, meanwhile, has emerged as K-1 USA's great white hope. The no-nonsense muay thai fighter came into the last Vegas event as a 22/1 longshot but used a good all-round set of skills to make it to the finals. Lighty was ranked significantly better at 8/1 this time.

A fast and spirited first, both in with hard low kicks, Lighty circling, just missing with a couple of high kicks, stepping forward aggressively with the fists -- Leko also punching late in the round. In the second Leko took the initiative, firing low kicks and straight punches, stepping in to put the American on the ropes and work the body blows.

Leko kept the pressure on in the third, scoring an early down with a left hook, chasing Lighty with a flurry of fists after resumption, easily dropping him with the right for a second down and the KO win.

The last quarterfinal set Gary Goodridge of Canada by way of Trinidad and Tobago, against Carter Williams of the U.S.



Goodridge is a brawler and proud of it. Williams, meanwhile, is the street-kid-turned K-1 powerhouse who won the USA GP in 2003.

Williams did everything right in the first -- he was loose, quick, and mixed it up with low and high kicks, power punches and knees. But the American could not drop Goodridge. In the second Williams stepped in and pumped in body blows, fired in the low kicks and tight hooks and brought up the knees, but still could not drop Goodridge.

And then all hell broke loose. Goodridge planted a right atop Williams' head, then snuck a tight left hook in for a down. Seconds after resumption, Williams closed the distance and put a right hook in to down Goodridge and equalize. The crowd went wild. Williams kept the pressure up through the balance of the second, driving three unanswered knees up, and in the third again the American was more aggressive, connecting with knees, low kicks and a right upper to stay in control.

A great fight for Williams, who smiled repeatedly during the action, looking to have overcome the nervousness that had hamstrung him in the past. A unanimous decision putting Carter into the semis.

It was announced that Alexey Ignashov had sustained an injury and could not continue, and so under K-1 tournament rules Imani Lee took his place against Michael McDonald in the first of the semis.

A slow first round brought boos from the crowd before the pair closed and mixed it up at the clapper, Lee smacking McDonald with a right hook to the side of the head to score a down. Unfortunately for Lee, he put an extra punch in on his prone opponent, and this cost him a one-point penalty.
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McDonald circled, intent on staying outside in the second, but Lee cut off the ring well, forcing McDonald into the corner then unleashing a barrage of punches. McDonald escaped this time, and finally found success with low kicks, stinging Lee bad. McDonald finished with some power punches and knees but could not fell Lee.

McDonald eschewed the low kicks through most of the third round before he got to Lee late, rattling him with a right hook. This one went the distance and was close, Lee had to curse his foul in the first, for McDonald got the narrow but unanimous decision to advance.

It was Leko and Williams in the second semifinal. The contest started tight, both fighters focused and intense. Leko missed with a spinning back kick, and Williams made him pay by answering with a spirited punch and knee attack that left the German's nose bloodied. Both had their chances here but it was Leko who capitalized, spinning another back kick in just past the midway point in the round. The kick connected hard with Williams' right side, lower ribcage, dropping the American to the canvas in a heap of pain. Williams could not recover, so Leko had the KO win and a date with McDonald in the finals.

Leko and McDonald were tentative through the first, McDonald circling, testing with the jab, Leko with his guard high and close, snapping in the occasional low kick, but really neither fighter had good chances here. The second, unfortunately, was not any more exciting. Leko was determined to press here, and McDonald's response was to close up and take the punches. Leko finished each attack with a low kick, scoring points here while McDonald was looking increasingly out of it. Then, suddenly McDonald responded to a Leko attack by waving his hands in front of his face, shaking his head, and turning away. There were gasps and boos from the crowd even as Leko raised his hand in victory. That was that, the referee stopped it as McDonald could not continue -- Leko had won.

McDonald would explain later that he had aggravated an injury to his right hand in the first fight, and the hand had got worse as the night went on. "When I punched Mastov, I felt the pain shoot up to my elbow," he said. "I want to apologize to all my fans, this was not a Michael McDonald performance."

"It was not a good way to win," said Leko in his post-event interview, but I came here knowing there was no chance I would lose today. I'm happy to be back in K-1, and I know this year my place is in the final eight!"



Last Updated ( Sunday, 13 August 2006 )

[marcelt]

Bovenstaande dus op MAN gevonden.

Wat houden die blauwe shirts in van de GG mannen?

[mossad]

Knap van Leko. Hij ziet er ook afgetraind uit. Als je dan zo'n Carter naast hem ziet zitten is het ongelooflijk dat die ook met elkaar in de ring staan. Helaas snapt Carter niet dat je met 384 kilo aan spier niet beter wordt maar langzamer. Doodzonde want hij was een geweldig talent.

[H POWER]

Bovenstaande dus op MAN gevonden.

Wat houden die blauwe shirts in van de GG mannen?

Japanse Sponser

[RedDawn]

Bas Boon is ook flink afgevallen.

Wie is trouwens die Japanse TV-verslaggeefster? :D

[Marco (scheids)]

Bas Boon is ook flink afgevallen.

Wie is trouwens die Japanse TV-verslaggeefster? :D

Ushi :lol:

[Nickuraba]

ushi ;) of niet..

http://www.fivebuckstofriday.com/museum/hit/kirk.jpg

[Highline]

mooi dat leko zich zo weer in de kijker heeft gevochten

[remco pardoel]

Meer dan verdient gewonnen!!

[Fightchick]

Damn,wat ziet Stefan er goed uit!!! Ben benieuwd hoe ver hij het dit jaar gaat schoppen.

[Highline]

yeah cor hemmers heeft voor mij zon blauw shirtje meegenomen omdat ik materiaal heb aangeleverd van scott lighty, super vet!