Errol Zimmerman is predicting big things for Gokhan Saki in ‘The Rebel’s upcoming light-heavyweight debut.
Saki (79-16, 56 KO’s) has been an explosive force in the GLORY heavyweight division but has always been one of its smallest fighters. With light-heavyweight having become a flagship and highly-competitive division, Saki is dropping down.
His debut at the new weight class will be at GLORY 15 ISTANBUL on Saturday April 12 when he takes part in the Light-Heavyweight World Championship Tournament.
Saki faces Nathan ‘Carnage’ Corbett (57-4, 45 KO’s) in the semi-finals while the other bracket has Tyrone Spong (90-5, 60 KO’s) against Saulo Cavalari (28-2, 18 KO’s).
“Heavyweights had a problem with him so now I think at light-heavyweight he is going to be the champion for sure. At this weight he is going to be unstoppable, with his speed and his strength,” says Zimmerman, one of Saki’s lifelong friends.
“He has so much heart also. Look when he fought Alistair Overeem, he had a broken arm - come on, crazy! So he’s going to give these guys a problem.”
One advantage Saki did have in his heavyweight days was speed: he was smaller than most of his opponents but looked to be twice as fast. He would often blitz slower opponents with multi-hit combinations that fans dubbed ‘The Saki Machine-Gun’.
At light-heavyweight the fighters are less bulky and Saki’s speed advantage may be less pronounced. Zimmerman doesn’t think it will be an issue though.
“I don’t think they are any faster than him. Saki is my brother and he will kick everybody’s ass there. I know this for sure,” he laughs.
“[Since he moved to Mike’s Gym last year] it looks like he became a bit stronger, maybe changed his style a bit in ways that Mike thinks is good for him. He is looking good, he is the same powerful Saki.”
GLORY 15 ISTANBUL takes place in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday, April 12 and will air in the USA on SPIKE TV at 9pm ET/8pm CT.
The four-man light-heavyweight tournament has the GLORY World Championship Title on the line. The winner will emerge as the weight class champion and with a claim to being the best light-heavyweight striker on the planet.
