Gokhan Saki

First impressions are important - but they aren’t always accurate. Usually the first thing people say when they see Saki is that he seems small for a heavyweight. But then once the fight commences they are lost for words as Saki sets about his opponents with blistering speed and skill, showing just why he is one of the most highly-regarded prospects of recent years. Saki is of Turkish ancestry but lives in Holland. He trains under Cor Hemmers, who has produced multiple champions, and he spent his formative years sparring with the likes of Semmy Schilt and Alistair Overeem. And while it is true that many of the heavyweights tower over Saki, few of them can match him for power and none of them can match him for speed.He is also famous for one more quality: heart. Many fighters say they have no quit in them but few of them have demonstrated it the way that Saki has. When he faced Alistair Overeem in a recent grand prix tournament he had already had one tough fight that evening and had emerged with a broken arm. But he entered the ring anyway and gave Overeem, the eventual tournament winner, a very hard time until repeated kicks on the injured arm made it impossible for him to continue.A stocky young man, Saki has an intense, almost brooding presence. But in the ring he moves with a fluid grace that is as surprising as it is mesmerising. He is a highly technical fighter and in his transition from one technique to the next each movement, each physical positioning, is made with the poise and finesse more often found in a gymnast or ballet dancer than a fighter. Balance, power and speed are an unholy trinity that Saki uses to make his opponent’s time in the ring with him a living hell for however long they last.