Picture report - Press conference ITS SHOWTIME Leeuwarden
Press conference IT’S SHOWTIME Leeuwarden
January 27, 2012 –
Even in the testosterone filled world of kickboxing, the ladies couldn’t be missed today.
As the IT’S SHOWTIME models guided the fighters to the photographer’s spot for staredowns, they also needed to split the fighters because of high-raising tensions. Intense staredowns are always a treat to the fans, and the many spectators today got what they wanted in the staredowns of Michael Duut vs Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva, Harut Grigorian vs Chris Ngimbi and Errol Zimmerman vs Rico Verhoeven. If these fights are going to be just half as good as the staredowns, these matches will be thrillers tomorrow.
It was a crowded afternoon in the beautiful WTC Expo Hotel in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. Fans and media were massively drawn by a fantastic fight card, headlined by Badr Hari in his last kickboxing match, where he squares off with Gökhan Saki. Hari is known for some very intense press conference moments, but the respect he has for Saki was clear from the very first moment. They exchanged smiles and handshakes before dozens of cameras.
Hari told the press again that when IT’S SHOWTIME’s CEO Simon Rutz asked him which opponent he wanted for his last fight, he immediately said “Saki”. Hari and Saki have met numerous times in locker rooms on events around the world and they both like each other and respect each other’s qualities. The good vibe between Hari and Saki became even more clear when Hari translated a question to Saki. Hari even said it was an honor to fight Saki, but added “but of course I will knock him out”. When Saki was asked if he prepared with fighters from Hari’s class, Hari interrupted and said “There aren’t any”. Saki prepared very well for this fight in the Golden Glory camp with fighters such as Errol Zimmerman. Even though a lot of stories are written about Saki’s future in boxing or MMA, he himself claimed that nothing is clear yet.According to Hari, today and tomorrow will be a ‘Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde’ scenario. Today he was Dr. Jekyll, tomorrow Mr. Hyde will enter the ring…
Many people wondered how Tyrone Spong prepared himself for his fight with Melvin Manhoef, as he currently lives in the USA. Spong’s coach Henri Hooft joined him to Florida and Spong also had some sparring partners flying to USA, because of the lack of good sparring partners in kickboxing in the USA. Spong told the media he is just here for work, and that’s exactly what he is going to do tomorrow. Manhoef is looking forward to a good fight, considered by him as the ‘old’ vs the new generation. Manhoef respects the skills of Spong, although he considers Spong as the youth and himself as the older, and more experienced fighter. “But I still look good”, Manhoef added.
After winning the IT’S SHOWTIME ‘Fast & Furious 70 max’ tournament, Robin van Roosmalen is a force to be reckoned with. He expects a tough fight against a good opponent. That opponent is Murat Direkçi, the former IT’S SHOWTIME 70kg max world champion. Direkçi actually prepared himself in a place where high altitude conditions were simulated, to improve his stamina. So Direkçi is clearly impressed by the gastank of Van Roosmalen and tried his best to enlarge his own tank the best he could.
The IT’S SHOWTIME world heavyweight title will be on the line as defending champion Hesdy Gerges gets to fight Daniel Ghita for a second time. After a, according to some, controversial win earlier in Amsterdam, Gerges said he thinks he won that fight fair and square. For tomorrow, he is ready for 5 rounds of action against the big Romanian. Just like the first fight, Ghita expects another tough battle.
Some more interesting preparations came from Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva and Michael Duut. Duut has prepared himself with outstanding trainer André Mannaart, a tactical mastermind. Silva on the other hand, chose this time not to prepare at Thom Harinck’s Chakuriki Gym, but at home, in Brazil. He trained with the Brazilian boxing champion. Even while this fight is clearly not the most anticipated fight on tomorrow’s card, this knowledge, and the statement of Duut that he will let his fists do the talking tomorrow, could make up for a very interesting matchup.
A lot can be said, even more can be speculated. Will Hesdy Gerges and Yohan Lidon (73kg) still be reigning IT’S SHOWTIME world champions after tomorrow, or will Daniel Ghita and/or Lhoucine Ouzgni leave Leeuwarden with a belt around the waist? Will Manhoef’s experience in heavyweight kickboxing beat Spong? And of course, the biggest question: will Badr Hari leave the sport of kickboxing with a victory over his long-awaited opponent or will Gökhan Saki ruin the retirement of the ‘Golden Boy’?
Few tickets are still available, check www.fight.nl for information.
To order tomorrow’s live PPV stream, visit www.showtimefights.com. For the first time we will offer no less than 12 fights for only €10! The stream will start at 6PM Dutch time.
(this service is not available in The Netherlands & Belgium)
Weigh-in results (in kilograms):
Patrick Veenstra: 99,3
Martin Terpstra: 120
Hicham Tayebi: 84,3
Marijn de Lange: 82,5
Niels Wilmink: 79,7
Fernando Goodings: 81,9
Hakim Ait Hma: 67,6
Tobias Eijgelshoven: 68,9
Henri van Opstal: 69,2
Hafid el Boustati: 70,5
Andy Ristie: 70,5
Hinata Watanabe: 70,2
Sahak Parparyan: 90,4
Mourad Bouzidi: 94,1
Ricardo van den Bos: 108,2
Ben Edwards: 121,7
Lhoucine Ouzgni: 73,0
Yohan Lidon: 73,7 in his second attempt. He will have 1 more attempt tomorrow morning at 10h00.
Tyrone Spong: 103,3
Melvin Manhoef: no weigh-in (not necessary for heavyweight)
Michael Duut: 100,1
Anderson Silva: 106
Harut Grigorian: 70,0
Chris Ngimbi: 70,5
Errol Zimmerman: 117,6
Rico Verhoeven: 117,2
Murat Direkçi: 70,5
Robin van Roosmalen: 70,0
Daniel Ghita: 111,2
Hesdy Gerges: 106,0
Gökhan Saki: 105,2
Badr Hari: no weigh-in
- By Sebastiën van Dusschoten, Photography by Ben Pontier for It's Showtime
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