The time is now for Australian knockout artist ‘Bangin’ Ben Edwards.
One day out from participating in the GLORY 16 DENVER four-man Heavyweight Contender Tournament, Edwards (36-9-3, 32 KO’s) believes he is in the right places, physically and mentally, to secure victory.
He faces Errol Zimmerman (101-11-1, 42 KO's) in the semi-final stage of the Heavyweight Contender Tournament, the winner of which will go forward to the Heavyweight Championship Tournament later this year.
“Errol is someone I’ve been watching for a long time. We fought in the same tournament a couple of years ago and he smashed everyone,” he says.
“There was a chance we could have met in that tournament but to be honest I am glad we didn’t, it would have been too early for me to have that fight. Now I’ve got more experience, I’ve just turned 30 so I’m in my physical prime. I feel good.”
Having studied Zimmerman at length, Edwards thinks he has ‘The Bonecrusher’ figured out. At GLORY 12 NEW YORK he took out Zimmerman’s team mate Jamal Ben Saddik in the third round and he thinks similar tactics will work in this weekend’s tournament.
“We’re similar in size and style though I do think he’s a little bit quicker than me and he has a lot more experience - he has more wins than I have fights,” he says.
“The gameplan is to put the pressure on but be patient at the same time. Like with Ben Saddik, I lost the first two rounds but I was right there in his face and in the third he started to run out of gas with thirty seconds to go and I was able to get the finish.
“That said, Zimmerman won’t be jabbing and running away [if he starts to gas]. He does back up on the ropes sometimes but still looking to counter and when he does he tries to take your head off.”
For his part, Zimmerman has surveyed the tournament field and declared himself to be the most complete kickboxer among them. The other three, says Zimmerman, are essentially only power-punchers and boxers.
“My kicks are pretty good but in a high-stress situation you will go with what you are most comfortable with,” shrugs Edwards.
“I do favor my hands and I do have a lot of knockouts with them so yeah, I am a complete kickboxer but I do favor my hands.”
As for the fight in the other semi-final bracket - Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva (37-10-1, 24 KO’s) vs. Sergey Kharitonov (5-3, 3 KO’s) - Edwards thinks it could go either way, though when pressed he gives a slight edge to the Brazilian.
“Probably Anderson Silva. I think he is the better kickboxer. Sergey is a big tough man and he’s been around a long time. I think it goes the distance and I think Anderson wins on points. Sergey is a wiley old cat though,” he says.
Whoever emerges from the tournament with victory will move forward to the Heavyweight Championship Tournament later this year. That tournament will feature the division’s top tier, including #1 ranked Daniel Ghita and #2 ranked Rico Verhoeven.
“I think the winner of this tournament is definitely deserving of the slot in that championship tournament,” says Edwards.
“I have fought Rico, he beat me two years ago but it wasn’t a one-sided fight and with the experience I’ve had since then I think we’re on that same level now.
“Who’s better out of Ghita and Rico? That GLORY 12 fight was a close one and it was a tournament so there were variables…. Gun to my head? I’d say Ghita - on his day. He is a bit hot and cold sometimes.
“Verhoeven is more of a consistent grinder, big and tough, whereas when Ghita wins he tends to win emphatically. Like if you look at what he did to Zimmerman, that was like a three-inch punch and he just dropped like stone.”
GLORY 16 DENVER takes place Saturday May 3 and airs LIVE on SPIKE TV at 9pm ET.
