US lightweight contender Ky Hollenbeck (44-3, 23 KO’s) has stepped in on a week’s notice to face the veteran Albert ‘The Hurricane’ Kraus at this weekend’s GLORY 10 LOS ANGELES event.
Kraus won the first-ever K-1 MAX tournament and has consistently been ranked in the top five of his weight class for his entire career. With a 73-16-3 record which includes 43 KO’s and victories over most of the top names in the lightweight division, Kraus is a serious force. He represents a huge test for Hollenbeck.
“That’s true, he is a really tough guy. He has been in the sport for a long time and has been excelling since he started. He was the K-1 MAX champ for good reason - he can fight. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to fight him,” Hollenbeck says.
“I think style-wise it will be a good fight. I'm just excited to get back in the ring.”
Hollenbeck has been absent from competition since November 2012 when he faced Giorgio Petrosyan, ranked #1 in the world, at GLORY 3 ROME. What should have been a career highlight for Hollenbeck quickly became a nightmare as he tore his ACL during a clinch in the first round.
“The knee feels great. Rehab has gone really well and my legs feel stronger than ever. The injury forced me to put a lot of work into my legs and now they are in better shape than they were before that injury happened. I'm excited to put them back to work,” he smiles.
“The main thing I learned from my last GLORY outing was that I need to calm down. It’s OK to be excited and energized but I have to control it so I let it out in the right way and don't get overextended and sloppy. I first need to control myself, and then I can control my opponent.”
Hollenbeck has used his time wisely since the Petrosyan fight. He keeps himself in competition shape all year round and maintains a regular training schedule. He says that there was no issue for him taking the fight on short notice because he is in good condition anyway.
“My instructor always says ‘Don't train for a fight, train to fight anytime’. That's the motto I train by. Even when I don't have a fight coming up I'm still in the gym for several hours a day improving my skill,” he says.
“So when the short notice fight was offered I was already ready to go. It’s not the same as a full camp but I feel like I've been training for this fight - which I consider my comeback fight - for months now.
“I'm really happy to be fighting back in the US for this one. Being in LA is even better because it's so close to my home. My family and friends can be there to support me; it’s going to be nice to have a good amount of the crowd in my corner.”
GLORY 10 LOS ANGELES takes place this Saturday, September 28 at the Citizen Bank Arena, Ontario, Los Angeles. The card features a four-man Middleweight Championship Tournament which will see the winner emerge with the GLORY middleweight title belt.
