Kickboxing is a compound word, reflective of the disciplines that come together to make up the sport, so it should be no surprise to learn that the boxing element is just as important as the kicking side of things.
A lot of GLORY fighters even have extensive backgrounds and influences rooted in boxing, incorporating boxing-heavy styles and techniques in the ring.
Many facets of the modern sport come from boxing, dating back to the introduction of the ring, rounds, referees and gloves to Muay Thai in the early twentieth century.
Being that kickboxing incorporates and is rooted in many components of boxing, it’s only fitting that we examine some of the crossovers between the two sports.
At the upcoming GLORY 13 event in Tokyo, there are a total of four fighters with pro-boxing experience, and more with close connections to boxing.
GLORY 12, last month in New York, saw three fighters with pro-boxing experience enter the GLORY ring. GLORY 11 in Chicago had one, and GLORY 10 in Los Angeles had five.
Among the four fighters with pro boxing experience at GLORY 13 and GSFS Tokyo are Nieky Holzken, Karapet Karapetyan, Jerome Le Banner and Alexander Stetcurenko.
Holzken (4-0 in boxing) and Karapetyan (2-1 in boxing) just so happen to be fighting each other in a rematch, in the semi-finals of the GLORY Welterweight World Championship Tournament.
Stetsurenko (1-0 in boxing) is in the reserve fight of that very same tournament, against Karim Ghajji. Le Banner (6-0 in boxing) is on the Super Fight Series portion of the card, taking on Sergei Kharitonov in a heavyweight bout.
When watching these men fight, it’s evident that they are schooled in the art of pugilism.
Holzken’s measured approach and vicious counter punching have been on full display in his previous GLORY fights. His signature left hook to the body can be seen at the first GLORY event in Stockholm in May 2012, sending Alex Harris to the canvas three times in one round.
His opponent Karapetyan doesn’t really employ his orthodox boxing style when competing under GLORY rules. But in recent years the improvements in his hands have seen him rise to #4 in the GLORY Welterweight rankings.
Stetcurenko, having fought and lost to Karapetyan at GLORY 10, probably has the most boxing-centric style out of the four fighters named above. Punches account for most if his thrown strikes. He also utilizes a very tight guard and rips hooks and uppercuts to the head and body when he’s at his preferred close range.
Le Banner, without doubt the highest profile out of these four fighters, made his pro-boxing debut all the way back in 1998. At one point he even fought on a card promoted by the legendary Don King.
Le Banner’s signature straight left hand has put many fighters on the canvas over the course of the last twenty years, as well as generally every punch in his arsenal, each of which has the potential to cause a knockout.
The boxing connections don’t just end there for GLORY 13, though.
Rico Verhoeven, who just won the GLORY 11 Heavyweight World Championship Tournament, is a fighter who has significantly improved his boxing in the past few years, thanks to his work with current English heavyweight boxers and brothers, Tyson and Hughie Fury, who both sport undefeated records, and their father and trainer Peter Fury.
Daniel Ghita, rematching Errol Zimmerman on the card, has also worked on his boxing alongside the Fury family. GLORY veteran Albert Kraus is another kickboxer with pro boxing experience (3-0) that works with Ghita, Verhoeven and the Fury’s.
Yuta Kubo, winner of the GLORY 5 Featherweight World Championship Tournament, aside from dictating his fights with solid boxing skills, has a brother who is a pro boxer, Kenji Kubo. Kenji himself is a former kickboxer and is 3-2 as a pro boxer.
Wayne Barrett, the winner over Joe Schilling in New York at GLORY 12 last month, was a Georgia state Golden Gloves champion in the amateur ranks of boxing.
The star of GLORY 11, #1 ranked Light Heavyweight Tyrone Spong, plans to debut in pro-boxing sometime soon and trains with WBA and WBO world super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and Odlanier Solis along with trainer Pedro Diaz in Florida.
Furthermore, GLORY’s own color commentator, Duke Roufus has some pro boxing experience himself. He had two wins under his belt, both back in 1995.
Boxing names such as Ray Mercer, Francois Botha, Shannon Briggs, Vince Phillips and Yong Soo Choi have all tried their hands at kickboxing. The legendary and late Mike Bernardo himself started out in boxing.
On the other hand, many kickboxers have also ventured into boxing and some made a full transition to the sport. Vitali Klitschko - who was knocked out under kickboxing rules by Robin Van Roosmalen’s father - Matt Skelton and Alexander Ustinov are just a few.
The connections between GLORY’s kickboxers and boxing are endless. Last month at GLORY 12 in New York, pound-per-pound undefeated boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr. was in attendance, as well as former world heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Evander Holyfield.
There is clearly respect between the two combative sports. Athletes in both have been willing to train together to help improve on their skills.
As GLORY continues to expand as the world’s premiere kickboxing league, you can expect more and more links to crop up between boxers and other fight-sport athletes as the world becomes exposed to these world-class athletes and their elite striking.
by Rian Scalia
