French lightweight Johann Fauveau has been added to the GLORY 10 card in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, September 28.
He will face Japanese counterpart Hinata (24-14, 9 KO’s), a gritty fighter with experience in top international organizations such as Its Showtime. Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Hinata will be making his GLORY debut in this fight.
Three-time French champion Fauveau (31-2-2, 18 KO’s) made his debut for the organization at GLORY 5 LONDON, dominating Costel Pasniciuc over three rounds. Fauveau’s heavy hands were on display throughout and only the Romanian’s sheer grit kept Fauveau from scoring another KO finish.
“This is a crucial fight for both guys. Fauveau is facing a top Japanese fighter for the first time while Hinata has a chance to prove himself and show that he is ready to be fighting at the GLORY level,” says matchmaker Cor Hemmers.
“I think for Hinata this is a big chance to show where the Japanese fighters are up to right now. Fauveau had a good debut for GLORY earlier this year but this is a much tougher fight for him.”
Fauveau is a Frenchman of Jewish heritage. He carries the nickname ‘Young Perez’ in honor of his grandfather’s friend. Former boxing world champion Victor ‘Young’ Perez was a Jewish-Tunisian who lost his life in the Holocaust. His picture adorned Fauveau’s wall from an early age.
His grandfather’s tales sparked young Fauveau’s interest in boxing and the martial arts. He started out with karate and progressed to boxing and Muay Thai. The latter proved to be his real love and he trained at France’s renowned Zeitoun Gym.
Among the fighters he learned from there was Jean-Charles Skarbowsky, considered one of the best non-Thais ever to enter the sport of Muay Thai. A European and world champion, Skarbowsky - who has since coached UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre among others - was twice placed at #1 in the official Rajadamnern Stadium lists.
Hinata has won two major Japanese championships in the past five years and has established himself as a top-tier fighter in his homeland. His career victories include Mike Zambidis and Andre ‘Dida’ Amade. Now he wants to take his career to the next level and prove he can hang with the international elite to be found in the GLORY ranks.
GLORY 10 takes place at the Citizens Bank Arena, Los Angeles on Saturday, September 28. The event’s centerpiece is a four-man, one-night middleweight tournament featuring world-ranked #1 Artem Levin of Russia, English thrashing machine Steve Wakeling, American prospect Joe Schilling and Dutch knockout artist Jason Wilnis.