CroCop: “Miller can say what he wants, I will do my talking in the ring”

This coming Saturday, the legendary Mirko ‘CroCop’ Filipovic (22-8, 12 KO’s) will make his US kickboxing debut live on SPIKE TV.

Despite a career, which has seen him fight around the world and become a household name with fight fans, the US has only ever hosted ‘CroCop’ in his MMA guise. To date, no American live audience has had the chance to see him do what he loves most: kickbox and look for knockouts.

That will change with the main event of GLORY 17 LOS ANGELES. ‘CroCop’ is flying to the US to rematch the rising New York talent Jarrell Miller (22-1, 10 KO’s), who he first encountered during a 2012 tournament in his native Croatia.

‘CroCop’ won their quarter-final fight by way of decision and went on to win the K-1 Heavyweight Grand Prix competition.

But Miller was furious and maintains that he was the clear winner. He claims ’CroCop’ derived an advantage from the fight being in Croatia and says that in Los Angeles, things will be different.

“He is definitely a good boxer and he is hungry for money and for success. He is a tough guy. He likes to talk a little bit too much maybe but I think that is just how he sees the business ,” shrugs ‘CroCop’.

“Really, I don’t think he is a bad person. After our first fight he came to the dressing room and we hugged each other and everything was cool.

“So when he’s talking ‘I will do this, I will do that’… I don’t know, maybe he thinks it is good for the fight. I like to do my talking in the ring.”

According to ‘CroCop’, that talking will also be done in emphatic fashion.

“I think this fight will be much more interesting and much more dynamic than our first fight because in that one I was thinking about winning the tournament,” he says.

“I had to fight three times in one night and so it made me hold back in certain ways. I didn’t want injuries to my legs so I didn’t really kick.

“I threw only three or four kicks in that fight, which is ridiculous really, and there was a lot of clinching. That wasn’t the most attractive fight for the fans and it is not my usual way of fighting, it was just a tactical thing.

“This time I don’t need to think about fighting any more that night so I don’t need to worry about saving my legs. There will be a lot more kicking and punching, believe me.

“This will be explosive - kicks, punches, combinations.”

‘CroCop’ drew praise from pundits for his last outing, which was a fight against Remy Bonjasky at GLORY 14 ZAGREB. Despite most fans believing ‘CroCop’ to be the clear winner, the decision went Bonjasky’s way.

He looked to be in good condition and he had a good workrate, deploying a full range of techniques and at times bullying Bonjasky around the ring. It was a performance which echoed the ‘CroCop’ of the early years.

“Physically I feel good,” he agrees. “I have had a good preparation for this one. My conditioning and stamina are good. I feel very confident for this fight and I am looking forward to fighting in California.”

GLORY 17 LOS ANGELES takes place Saturday June 21 at The Forum in Los Angeles, California.

It airs live on SPIKE TV and features a four-man Featherweight Contender Tournament and a lightweight title eliminator between San Francisco’s own Ky Hollenbeck and the powerful Andy ‘The Machine’ Ristie.

Following GLORY 17 LOS ANGELES is GLORY: LAST MAN STANDING on pay-per-view, priced at $34.95

An eight-man Middleweight Championship Tournament, Heavyweight Championship Superfight and Welterweight Title Superfight - three world titles are on the line in the fight-sport event of the year.