Two of the most iconic fighters in kickboxing will headline GLORY 14 ZAGREB on Saturday, March 8 as Remy ‘The Flying Gentleman’ Bonjasky (98-12, 36 KO’s) travels to the Croatian capital in search of revenge against Mirko ‘CroCop’ Filipovic (22-7, 12 KO’s).
Back in 2002 ‘CroCop’ was tearing through the heavyweight scene, terrorizing it with his trademark left head-kick and boxing skills. Bonjasky was seeking to make his name and, having recently taken an upset win over Ray Sefo, wanted to do the same to the Croatian.
The first round was close, though things changed when ‘CroCop’ found a way to land his left high kick. Bonjasky felt the power and was rattled. Two more such kicks in the second round rocked him and allowed ‘CroCop’ to set about finishing him with his hands.
Time heals all wounds but not, it seems, the agony of defeat. Bonjasky is going in there to settle a score. He’s also fired up by the fact that he thinks he was robbed by the judges at GLORY 13 TOKYO.
Bonjasky won a decision over Silva at GLORY 2 BRUSSELS but was on the wrong side of the decision in Tokyo, much to his disappointment.
“My last fight was a rematch against Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva,” he says. “I thought I won and I was not the only one - the audience was surprised when he got the decision.
“When I watched it back I think Silva looked surprised as well! I think it was a terrible mistake, or the judges were drunk,” he says, shaking his head.
“When I first fought ‘CroCop’ back in 2002 I didn’t have any kids, any family, anything like that. My only goal was to be the best in the sport. At that time ‘CroCop’ was already one of the big stars and I was just a freshman.
“I was feeling good in the fight because I was putting him under a lot of pressure. But his left high kick… I made a mistake. I thought I caught his foot but it came up late and hit me when my hand was down. That was his big break to win the fight against me.
“I was really disappointed to lose the fight, in your life you get only a couple of chances, maybe only one chance.
“I got my first chance in Japan against Ray Sefo and won that. This was supposed to be my second chance and instead I lost. But I came back from it and it made me stronger.”
In the years since their first fight the two established a friendship. They trained together in Amsterdam on occasion, with ‘CroCop’ often using Bonjasky’s coach Ivan Hippolyte for his training camps. That relationship continued when he subsequently moved into MMA.
“Being friends with Mirko doesn’t make it harder to fight him but it does make it different. We’ve trained together, we’ve helped each other, but the moment we step into the ring we flick a switch and we do what we have to do,” says Bonjasky.
“I know his weakest points but of course he will also know my weakest points. People know I’ve had a bad eye, people know I’ve had an operation on my left leg, you know?”
Years have passed since their first meeting, but Bonjasky doesn’t think his tactics need to be any different than they were for the first fight.
“He is multi-talented, he knows how to defend and how to attack. He has that left head-kick obviously but also hard punches,” he says.
“I think the key is to put a lot of pressure on him, if you let him come forward that is when you are in trouble.
“I think this fight will end in a KO for sure.”
And afterwards? “At this present stage of my career I am looking at winning each match, then looking at winning the next one. After this fight we will see what comes next.”
GLORY 14 ZAGREB takes place Saturday, March 8 in Zagreb, Croatia and airs in the US on SPIKE TV at 9pm ET/PT.
Aside from the main event, the card also features a four-man Middleweight Contender Tournament.
The winner will receive a coveted spot in the World Middleweight Championship Tournament taking place later this year, with the World Middleweight Title on the line.
