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LiverKick.com Rankings

Heavyweight
1. Semmy Schilt
2. Gokhan Saki
3. Daniel Ghita
4. Rico Verhoeven
5. Jamal Ben Saddik
6. Tyrone Spong
7. Mirko Cro Cop up
8. Errol Zimmerman
9. Ismael Londt up
10. Pavel Zhuravlev down

Middleweight
1. Giorgio Petrosyan
2. Robin van Roosmalen
3. Murthel Groenhart
4. Abraham Roqueni up
5. Dzhabar Askerov up
6. Artur Kyshenko down
7. Andy Souwer down
8. Hafid El Boustati down
9. Davit Kiria down
10. Andy Ristie down
Noiri
Lightweight
1. Masaaki Noiri
2. Masahiro Yamamotoup
3. Karim Bennoui down
4. Sun Hung Lee up
5. Yuki down
6. Yetzkin Ozkul down
7. Thomas Adamandopolous down
8. Javier Hernandezdown
9. Pedro Felipe down
10. Hirotaka Urabe down

Video

2010 LiverKick.com Fans' Fight of the Year

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Zambidis_Chahid2010 was a rough year for K-1 MAX.  Three of the division's very top stars fought their (for now) last MAX fights in 2009, including Masato, the man MAX had been built around from the start.  Shows were planned, then canceled.  Only two qualifying Grand Prixs were held, and one of those 2 never aired.  Half of the Final 16 fights were shoved onto the 63kg GP finals almost as an afterthought, and at one time, there were rumors that the 2010 MAX Grand Prix might not even happen.  Fans of MAX were looking at the year as somewhat of a disaster.

That changed on October 3.  Amidst all this chaos and confusion, the MAX Final 16 event in Seoul was a grand slam of an event - an all around fantastic card with every fight delivering.  The next day, no one was talking about how K-1 MAX was struggling.  Instead, they were talking about what a show it was.  And they were talking about one fight.

That fight is your 2010 LiverKick.com Fans' Fight of the Year - "Iron" Mike Zambidis vs. Chahid Oulad El Hadj.

Coming into the event, this was a fight that on paper looked like it could be a good one.  Both Zambidis and Chahid are exciting fighters who like to push the pace and have turned in plenty of fun bouts.  But they are also two men whose presence in the Final 16 was questionable, as neither had claimed a significant K-1 win in some time.  From the moment the two men meet in center ring for the staredown, any concerns about them not belonging flew out the window.  Because right from the opening, you can tell this is going to be something special.  Both men looked hungry, out for redemption, and just plain pissed off.  They looked ready to tear into each other.  And that's exactly what they did.

For four epic rounds, Zambidis and Chahid engaged in an all out war.  By the end of the 3rd, the announcers are all on their feet waiting for the judges' decision.  By the end of the 4th, fans are already writing their friends telling them what they just saw.  And by the next morning, all the focus was on this classic.

Watching it now, I'm reminded of another all-time K-1 great contest - Ray Sefo vs. Mark Hunt (and if you've never seen that, watch it, seriously, now).  Like Sefo vs. Hunt, this is a fight that doesn't need any backstory.  It's a moment that stands on its own, where even if you've never heard of either man, the combination of heart, determination, technique, and aggression they show is enough to grab you.  At a time in combat sports where the UFC is the clear top dog, and where Dana White's love of wild stand-up brawling has come to define how many fans view stand-up action, this fight is a definitive example of what stand-up can be.  Yes it's a brawl, but it's also two supremely skilled fighters never losing track of the technique needed to fight at this level.  It's a fight every fan of Griffin vs. Bonnar, Garcia vs. The Korean Zombie, or countless other recent fights really owes it to themselves to watch.

Chances are good you've already seen this fight, probably more than once.  But as we say our final good-byes to 2010, do yourself a favor and watch it once more.  You'll thank yourself later.

A big thanks to all our fans who voted in this poll.  In the end, Zambidis vs. Chahid was the clear winner, drawing 34% of the vote.  #2 and #3 were only separated by a handful of votes, with the sentimental favorite Peter Aerts vs. Semmy Schilt at #2, and the battle of the new guard in Gokhan Saki vs. Daniel Ghita at #3.  For full results, click here, and don't forget to vote on our new polls every week here at LiverKick.com.

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Gokhan Saki vs Melvin Manhoef 2010

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Manhoef and Saki are monsters in the ring. They both bring a unique brand of intensity to their contests and whoever thought of matching these two against each other was responsible for an act of minor genius. Who wouldn't want to see two knockout artists, both capable of powerful, flowing, knockout combinations, go to work on each other?

At the time, Manhoef was a slightly more established name than Saki, though the latter's name was on the rise. Manhoef was known in kickboxing circles for his trilogy with Remy Bonjasky, and was also responsible for one of the most violent knockouts in K-1 history in his 2007 match with Ruslan Karaev. Rather frighteningly, every one of his kickboxing victories is a knockout or stoppage of some sort. His record speaks to spotty defense, however, and most of his losses have also come by stoppages, making a Manhoef match an unpredictable affair.

Gokhan Saki's first win over a major name in K-1 was against Alexei Ignashov in 2006. Since then, he's really come into his own as a smaller fighter in the super heavyweight division. He's beaten Paul Slowinski, Ruslan Karaev, Ray Sefo, and Tyrone Spong since then. 2010 saw him put on his best performances yet, with a swift destruction of Freddy Kemayo and a four round war against Daniel Ghita.

Were the two to rematch now, Saki would be a heavy favorite, but at the time of this match, it was a much closer contest, especially since they were fully capable of KOing each other. Saki wears the blue gloves in the bout, Manhoef the red. Note that, even though Saki is already small for a K-1 super heavy, he still carries about 20 lb over Manhoef and stands 3 inches taller.

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Alistair Overeem vs Ewerton Teixeira 2009

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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This is the third post in a series on K-1's changes to its clinch rules over time and how they affected fighter performances in the ring.

The first fight in the series was Buakaw Por Pramuk vs Takayuki Kohiruimaki in 2004, when full clinch was allowed, and the second featured Buakaw vs Virgil Kalakoda in 2006, after the one strike per clinch rule was in place. As of this time, the last update to the official K-1 rules site was in 2008, so the webpage displays the rules that were in place at the time of this match. See Article 6.7 for discussion of the clinch.

By the 2005 K-1 MAX Final, referees were more consistent in enforcing the one-strike per clinch rule by breaking clinches and issuing warnings and yellow cards. Fighters found inventive ways to circumvent the rules, however, or ignore them altogether, choosing to hazard a warning. After this World Grand Prix, clinch rules became more restrictive.

This was Alistair Overeem's debut K-1 WGP Final, and he was something of an unknown factor in K-1. He had obvious potential, but really was riding on the fame of his first performance against Badr Hari.

Ewerton Teixeira, too, was rather new in K-1. Like Overeem, most of his combat sports experience lay outside K-1, though he came from Kyokushin Karate circuits, while Overeem competed in MMA. Watch for the ways in which their styles contrast, especially in how they respond to being in clinch range. Overeem wears the red gloves, Teixeira the blue.

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Kem Sitsongpeenong vs Sudsakorn Sor Klinmee 2009

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Kem and Sudsakorn are facing off a second time this January 15th as part of the Isuzu 67 kg Tournament. This post profiles their previous match-up in 2009.

Their January 15th bout is one of the most pivotal in the ongoing tournament, since both are strong contenders to win the finals. Prior to entering the tournament, both fighters were performing at a high level against foreign and Thai competition under K-1 and Muay Thai rules.

Kem was originally slated to participate in the Contender Asia season 2 as Khem Fairtex, but the show fell through and he joined Sitsongpeenong camp. Moving up from 63.5 kg, 140 lb, due to a lack of competition, he notched big wins over BigBen Chor Praram 6, Nopparat Keatkhamtorn, Singhmanee Sor Srisompong, and Diesellek King Boxing Gym, all former or current champions at the time of competition. He's dropped bouts in K-1 rules against Giorgio Petrosian and Rachid Belaini. He now fights from 147 lb to 154 lb.

Sudsakorn saw strong wins in Thailand over top fighters in the 63.5 kg, 140 lb division. He beat Kongfah Audonmuang, the Lumpini 140 lb champion, and Noppadet Chengsimew Gym, after losing to both fighters in earlier matches. He also fights in the range of 147 to 154 lb internationally and has wins over Andrei Kulebin and Chahid Oulad El Hadj. He drew with Moussa Konate and lost a match against Fabio Pinca, winner of the last Thai Fight tournament.

This fight was contested at Lumpini Stadium in Bangkok, with Kem giving up weight to Sudsakorn to make the match more even. Kem wears the red gloves and shorts, Sudsakorn the blue.

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Pinsiam Amnuaysirichok vs Arashi Fujihara 2009

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Pinsiam Amnuaysirichok is a former champion of Lumpini who fights out of Saengmorakot gym in Bangkok. This is the first footage I've seen of him, and I am impressed. Of course, it takes impressive skills to win belts at Lumpini and Omnoi, as well as an Isuzu tournament and Lumpini's fighter of Year '04, all of which Pinsiam did, according to the Saengmorakot website and No Contest Boxing.

His opponent, Arashi Fujiwara, is a Japanese kickboxer who fights for the AJKF. He seems quite used to fighting Muay Thai rules and his style reflects as much. Fujiwara fights as a southpaw in this bout and shows a solid power base from the stance.

This bout goes down at 55kg, 122 lb bantamweight. Fujiwara wears red shorts and Pinsiam blue.

Pinsiam vs Fujiwara

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Vote Now for 2010 Fight of the Year

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Masato Souwer 2009Voting is now open for the 2010 LiverKick.com Fight of the Year.  Cast your vote in the Weekly Poles section in the left hand column.  As a reminder, here are links to videos and write-ups on the 10 nominees:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

Peter Aerts v. Ewerton Teixeira

Mike Zambidis v. Chahid Oulad El Hadj

Gokhan Saki v. Daniel Ghita

Peter Aerts v.  Semmy Schilt

Mosab Amrani v. Mohamed Khamal

Pornsaneh v. Pakon

Vote now!

Pictured: 2009 Fight of the Year Masato v. Andy Souwer

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 10

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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First off, my apologies for not having this up last night.  Site maintenance caused a delay in posting.

For the final entry in our Fight of the Year series, we look at something a bit different...

Pornsaneh v. Pakon (Lumpinee Stadium, May 3)

My original plan was to include just kickboxing rules fights here, but reader cacti45 reminded me of this Muay Thai contest which would be criminal to exclude.  Google this fight and you'll see phrases like "the best Muay Thai fight I've seen in years" and "some of the wildest action ever".  How can you leave that out?  This is the consensus Muay Thai fight of the year for 2010, and rightly so.  Here you have Pornsaneh in red v. Pakon in blue.  Pornsaneh at the time was at 13 Coins Gym, but has since made the switch to Sitmonchai, while Pakon is at Sakyotin.  This is a very atypical Muay Thai contest, as Pornsaneh in particular is an aggressive fighter.  He oushes the pace here right from the start, and Pakon responds, creating an excellent fight.  It all culminates in round 4 (which starts at 1:30 in the 2nd clip) - if you don't watch the whole fight, you at least owe it to yourself to watch that round, which is like the Frye/Takayama of Muay Thai.

 

Great stuff there.  Pakon picks up the win in what also is a nice example of Muay Thai scooring techniques.  If you were looking at this from a pure kickboxing standpoint, you might give the win to Pornsaneh, who lands more.  But Pakon uses more kicks and knees, which score higher in Muay Thai, so he earns the decision.  Hope you enjoyed this one.

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

Peter Aerts v. Ewerton Teixeira

Mike Zambidis v. Chahid Oulad El Hadj

Gokhan Saki v. Daniel Ghita

Peter Aerts v.  Semmy Schilt

Mosab Amrani v. Mohamed Khamal

Final voting will be open soon.

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 9

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Fight #9 is a late entry, but a strong contender...

Mosab Amrani v. Mohamed Khamal (It's Showtime at the Sand, December 18)

It's Showtime had an excellent year in 2010, but it wasn't until the final fight on the final show that they put on a true fight for the ages.  Mosab Amrani v. Mohamed Khamal is a testament to the power of quality matchmaking.  These are two young fighters, both eager to move up the ranks, and both coming in determined to win.  They're also extremely evenly matched, which results in a tremendous back and forth bout.  This one reminds me of Chahid v. Zambidis in a lot of ways, as both men throw at a very fast pace, but also use considerably more skill and technique then you see in many of these all action fights.  Khamal is in blue, Amrani in red.

 

If you ask me, Khamal should have picked up the decision win after regulation, but I have no complaints the way things went down.  Fun, fun fight here, and it's not terrible hyperbole when the announced says it may be the best fight It's Showtime has ever produced.  Great way for the company to close out the year and springboard into what could be a blockbuster 2011.

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

Peter Aerts v. Ewerton Teixeira

Mike Zambidis v. Chahid Oulad El Hadj

Gokhan Saki v. Daniel Ghita

Peter Aerts v.  Semmy Schilt

There will be 10 fights total posted, with the final fight posted later today.  Fights are featured in chronological order moving through the year.  Voting will be open tomorrow to determine the winner.

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 8

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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The last K-1 fight on the list, and we may have saved the best for last...

Peter Aerts v. Semmy Schilt (K-1 World Grand Prix Finals, December 11)

There's been a lot of ink spent on this fight already, but it's the kind of fight that deserves all that attention and more.  This was, in my opinion, the single greatest combat sports story of 2010, and the kind of story that makes you a sports fan.  On one side - the 40 year old Peter Aerts.  Aerts is the most beloved veteran of the sport, but after an unprecedented 17 year run at the top, he finally faltered last year, missing his first ever Grand Prix.  Earlier in 2010, Aerts had talked about the end coming soon, and after his KO loss to Kyotaro, it felt like the writing was on the wall - this could be the end of the road for the great one.  On the other side - the near 7 foot tall Semmy Schilt, the defending and 4 time K-1 Grand Prix champion.  Schilt is as dominant a fighter as K-1 has ever seen, never once being knocked out of the Grand Prix, or any other tournament for that matter.  All signs pointed to Schilt taking down the aged Aerts.

Now that is a moment.

Before moving on, let's take a look at exactly how Aerts pulled this off.  So many men had failed to take Schilt down - how did Aerts succeed?  One key to his victory is Aerts's ability to mix up his attack and constantly keep Schilt guessing.  He knows when to wade in with punches, when to lock Schilt up because he is too far inside, and when to retreat from the big man's strikes.  He reads Schilt masterfully, allowing him to always keep the pressure up and never let Schilt find his own rhythm.  And with that pressure he is able to connect punch after punch accurately on Schilt's chin.  They're not powerful KO shots, but they keep stunning Schilt.  Most importantly, they prevent Schilt from establishing the methodical rhythm he has used to defeat so many opponents.  It's a masterful plan, but one that takes intense concentration, confidence, and stamina to execute.  And that's where Aerts seals the deal - he never lets up, ultimately winning the fight in the final minutes.  When Schilt finally wilts under the Aerts attack, the 40 year old is still there to put the pressure on, claiming his victory with a definitive closing to the fight.  Beautiful, beautiful work that, when combined with the story going in, makes for a truly exceptional fight.

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

Peter Aerts v. Ewerton Teixeira

Mike Zambidis v. Chahid Oulad El Hadj

Gokhan Saki v. Daniel Ghita

There will be 10 fights total posted, with the final two posted on Wednesday.  Fights are featured in chronological order moving through the year.  Voting will be open Thursday to determine the winner.

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 7

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Our fight of the year march through the Grand Prix continues today with a pair of bouts from the Heavyweight GP.  Up first...

Gokhan Saki v. Daniel Ghita (K-1 Grand Prix Finals, December 11)

Heading into the GP finals, this was the fight many were most looking forward to.  Post event, it kind of got lost in the hype of a certain other fight that we'll discuss later today, which is a shame as this is a great fight.  What you have here are two of K-1's new guard competing in one of the year's finest technical battles.  In particular, the kicks thrown by both are simply phenomenal - this whole thing could be an instructional video on how to throw kicks effectively in kickboxing.  Ghita and Saki mix it up, attacking the legs, the body, the head, and they do it all with accuracy, set-ups, and beautiful timing.  There's so much skill on display here that you can watch this fight again and again and pick up more.

Rewatching it now, I am reminded of Ernesto Hoost v. Peter Aerts from the 1993 Grand Prix - two young fighters with the future standing ahead of them ready to take the next big leap forward.  I suspect this fight will age well with time, and will go down as a classic early encounter between two men who will be major players for some years to come.  Be happy to be here when they first met.

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

Peter Aerts v. Ewerton Teixeira

Mike Zambidis v. Chahid Oulad El Hadj

There will be 10 fights total posted.  Fights 7 & 8 on Tuesday, and 9 & 10 conclude on Wednesday.  Fights are featured in chronological order moving through the year.  Voting will be open Wednesday night to determine the winner.

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 6

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Our next entry is the 2nd fight from K-1's big double Final 16 weekend, and is a fight you knew had to be on this list...

"Iron" Mike Zambidis v. Chahid Oulad El Hadj (K-1 MAX Grand Prix Final 16, October 3)

It's rare that we get fights like this - fights where both men throw down with so much passion that the energy just grabs you.  Where neither man wants to give in, and both push each other to the limit.  In the UFC, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar had one of those fights, and it helped save the company.  This one likely won't have that same impact on K-1 MAX, but if things were right with the world, it would.  This is, quite simply, an amazing fight; you can tell from the passion in the commentary, the cheers from the crowd, and hopefully your own feelings while watching.  What makes it even better is that it is a fight between two men who always were able to deliver excitement, but had not found themselves on the winning side lately.  Zambidis's last K-1 appearance was a loss to Hinata, while Chahid had recently recovered from a terrible 2009.  Neither man seemed like they would be a real factor in the Grand Prix, but together they provided the greatest highlight of MAX's year.

Enough words... sit back and enjoy.

 

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

Peter Aerts v. Ewerton Teixeira

There will be 10 fights total posted.  Fights 7 & 8 on Tuesday, and 9 & 10 conclude on Wednesday.  Fights are featured in chronological order moving through the year.  Voting will be open Wednesday night to determine the winner.

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 5

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Fight #5 in our fight of the year series is the first of two Final 16 fights, and a bit of an overlooked fight from the year...

Ewerton Teixeira v. Peter Aerts (K-1 Grand Prix Final 16, October 2)

Heading into this fight, both men were in serious need of a win.  Teixeira had ended 2009 on a bad note: a notoriously boring fight with Singh Jaideep, followed by an all time highlight reel KO loss to Alistair Overeem.  He had rebounded with a win at K-1 Oceania, but no one saw that show, so the lasting image most fans had was Ewerton face down, his hair pooled around him.  Aerts too was a recent KO victim, his coming at the hands of Kyotaro.  After missing his first ever GP in 2009, a 2nd missed GP could mean the end of an era for Aerts.  Both men needed the win, and both men came in fighting that way.

This fight may not have the fireworks of the last few we've looked at, but it really is a fabulous technical display between two experts at their craft.  This fight shows a bit of everything - clinch fighting, kicks, punches, defense, aggression... it's all here, and it's all executed flawlessly.  For Aerts, this would be the beginning of what will go down as a legendary Grand Prix run, while Teixeira gained momentum even in his loss and has since defeated Errol Zimmerman.

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo

There will be 10 fights total posted.  Fights 5 & 6 on Monday, 7 & 8 on Tuesday, and 9 & 10 conclude on Wednesday.  Fights are featured in chronological order moving through the year.  Voting will be open Wednesday night to determine the winner.

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Dynamite Videos All Week

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Dynamite!!Under a week until FEG presents Dynamite!! 2010 - the year end super show of the Japanese fight scene.  To get ready, check out the VIDEO OF THE DAY all week as we feature highlights from years past.

Dynamite!! has always, for me, been a show all about the spectacle and joy of Japanese fighting.  It's a chance to kick back, relax, and enjoy some fun fights.  So while a fight like 2008's Kyshenko v. Sato may have been technically great, it doesn't really capture that same crazy Dynamite!! spirit the same way Bob Sapp fighting a comic book character does.

Today's feature: We end with a personal favorite of mine - KID YAMAMOTO v. GENKI SUDO

Sunday:  BOB SAPP v. AKEBONO

Monday: SHINYA AOKI v. MIZUTO HIROTA

Tuesday: GENKI SUDO v. BUTTERBEAN

Wednesday: DON FRYE v. JEROME LE BANNER

Your picks for Dynamite!! highlights?

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2010 Fight of the Year: Part 4

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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The next entry in our 2010 Fight of the Year series takes us back to K-1, as they crown a new king...

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo (K-1 63kg Grand Prix Finals, July 5)

For the first half of 2010, K-1 was all about their new 63kg division, and boy did that division deliver.  Their inaugural 63kg Grand Prix was an all around superb tournament, capped off by the best GP final K-1 has seen in recent years as Tetsuya Yamato (in blue) faced Yuta Kubo (red).  Both men had a tough path to the finals, as Yamato defeated early tournament favorite Masahiro Yamamoto, Yuki, and Kizaemon Saiga, while Kubo took out DJ.taiki, Keiji Ozaki, and Yoshimichi Matsumoto (in one of the year's best KOs).  Their final battle was a superb contest, combining fast paced skill with drama and excitement.

Sadly, K-1 has yet to follow up on this fight, as the division has been largely dormant, with Krush instead taking the 63kg lead.  Yamato will be back in action at Dynamite!!

Previously featured:

Tyrone Spong v. Jerome Le Banner

Bovy Sor. Udomson v. Takaaki Umeno

Yuya Yamamoto v. Scott Shaffer

A note on this series - we'll be posting 1 or 2 of the top fights of the year on a daily basis over the coming week.  Fights will be featured in chronological order moving through the year.  Voting will be open next week to determine the winner.

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Yodsaenklai Fairtex vs Artem Levin 2008

Friday, 24 May 2013 03:23
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Artem's come a long way since 2008, but in this bout in Sweden, he was just starting to break out internationally. He's a tall, craft fighter who uses the advantages of his build well in the ring. He's got a fair bit of athleticism in his frame, too. He wears the blue gloves in this bout.

Yodsaenklai Fairtex at the time already was one of the most famous Thai nak muays on the planet. Before fighting internationally, he'd had a distinguished career in Thailand, winning a Lumpini title at 115 lb flyweight. He steadily moved up in weight in Thailand, fighting other highly ranked fighters like Sam-A Thor Ratanakiat, Orono Wor Petchpun, and Ponsaneh Sitmonchai, before moving from Petchyindee to Fairtex and fighting internationally at 70 kg, 154 lb.

Before this first match with Artem -- they would rematch at 75 kg, 165 lb, in the 2010 Sport Accord games in Beijing -- Yodsaenklai had met Farid Villaume and John Wayne Parr twice in the ring. The Contender Asia broadcast was drawing to a close and he was close to the height of his international regard, so a win over him would have definitely propelled Artem into the top ranks.

This bout is under K-1 rules. Yodsaenklai wears red gloves.

 

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