It being his first fight in nearly a year Jamal Ben Saddik was understandably a little tense at the start of this Superfight Series card headline bout. He took a careful approach to Keta, a late stand-in who trains and fights out of The Coliseum Gym and is a regular sparring partner of GLORY heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven.
Keta is a heavyweight but âThe Goliathâ is a giant of a man and there was a large size difference. Keta made some early low kick attempts while being careful to lean back out of the way of a counter punch, but Ben Saddik took them and walked him down.
Once Ben Saddik let his hands go and found Ketaâs head, the fight was quick to finish. One glancing blow on the end of a combination scored a knockdown. On the restart Ben Saddik unloaded and the final blow knocked Keta clean out.
âFirst I want to thank my opponent he is a good friend of mine, I know him mahy years and it was not easy for him to take this fight,â Ben Saddik said afterwards, referring to Keta having stepped in on less than a dayâs notice to replace an ill Freddy Kemayo.
âI want to thank my friends and family in the audience. I was out for a year and now I am back, it is time for Team Ben Saddik! I donât care who is next. Whoever is in my way I will take them out, so bring it on.
Jamal Ben Saddik def. Mamoudou Keta by KO, R1
