Semmy Schilt becomes first Super Heavyweight K-1 Champion in Yokohama Japan March 4th 2007
Team Golden Glory arrived in Japan on March 4th and this time without Stefan Leko as a corner for Chalid die Faust as Stefan will be fighting in Croatia on March 10th. Gokhan Saki and Errol Zimmerman came with die Faust and master trainer Cor Hemmers. The irony was that Errol was called several times in Holland to train with Chalid, but told trainer Cor hemmers that he was sick. Still one week for the fight Errol came and took his virus with him. In the plane to Japan, Chalid got sick, really sick. He must have lost 5 kilo on the plane trip and Cor Hemmers starting to sweat upon arrival. Dave Jonkers the trainer from Semmy Schilt got a huge back pain, Jelle the sparring partner from Semmy was injured on his leg (infection from a training camp in Sri Lanka) and it did not predict anything good for the coming event. And to make the drama complete Semmy? dislocated his toe two weeks before the fight and he was not able to train and throw his feared front kick. Not to mention Alistair Overeem who fought last weekend in Las Vegas, totally dominating against Pride champion Shogun, but walked into a punch at the end of the first round.
Chalid became really sick and could not fight, Cor Hemmers got really sick and the only person really fit was Gokhan Saki who just won by ko in the first round February 17th? in Schiedam over Henry Hooft from team Aerts.
?The day before the fight the management from Golden Glory notified K-1 that Die Faust was not able to fight and that Gokhan the Saki Rebel was able to fight.
K-1 could remember Saki as he was the finalist of the K-1 Holland GP in 2006 and so it became the debut of the very young (23 years old) Gokhan Saki fighting for millions around the world.
Saki was nervous, the huge stadium with 20.000 people. The press conference at Fuji TV this was a total different experience for the young Golden Glory fighter. Photo’s and interview with Fuji TV. Saki saw a nice highlight presented by Fuji TV before he walked up to the ring. On dance music Saki started dancing and anything nervous felt away from the young rebel, it was Saki time. Errol was also dancing the night away behind Saki (Zimmerman who just turned 20 and won over half of his fights by Ko in the first round) and the Japanese audience loved it.
Amada is known to be very tough (going the distance with fighters as Le banner) and one of the best Japanese boxers out there. The assignment for Saki was simple, inside low kicks and high kicks, do not box a with this Japanese fighter. The round started and the young GG Rebel did exactly what he was told and fought like an experienced fighter. Crazy hard low kicks are hitting Amada. Inside, outside lowkick and high kicks and in the first round the left leg of Amada turns in to a red sausage. In round two the same scenario, every kicks impact is heard till outside the arena and welcomed by the Japanese fans with a lot of ooooesss and aaaahhhhhs. Then Amada receives an eight count , he is not able to stand on his left leg. Amada stands up and tries to fight, but again two torpedo’s are hitting the inside thigh of Amada. On the gong of round two Amada goes down and a new star is born. Saki gave his business card. I am young dynamic and have a ko in my legs and fist.
Later they ask him in the interview why he only kicked? His answer was simple: I used the left hook for a ko victory last week in Holland and now my assignment was to winc with kicking strategy.? Saki did phenomenally well.
It was time for the main event. K-1 announced a new system were they would start with two belts, till 100 kilo and above 100 kilo. The Super Heavyweight K-1 Belt was on the line. Sefo claimed he was very sick the last time he lost from Semmy in the GP, now he was 1000% ready. On the other hand it was team GG with lots of bad luck.. sick fighters and.. Semmy dislocating a toe.
Semmy’s strategy was a little different this timec he needed to kick the right arm of Ray to stop his feared right? punch. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, everybody happily stood when the national anthem started. Just like in boxing with a title fight. This was the first for the world K-1 Championship belt. The fight started and was really interesting as Ray comes forward and fires huge bombs and made it clear to everybody, he came to fight and for that belt. Semmy struggles a little with the different fight strategy but is coming back in the fight in the second minute of the first round. At the end of the first round comes the upset as on the gong Semmy receive a hook from Sefo and goes down. He receives and eight count and everybody is on their edge of their seats. The euphoria is from short length as in 10 seconds of the second round Semmy throws his left front kick to follow up with his left jab from g hellh it connected like a sledge hammer into a brick wall. Ray Sefu goes down and is completely out, Semmy Schilt becomes the first Super Heavyweight K-1 Champion and the GG team is in ecstatic. What a great way to start 2007. The whole event can be watched on SBS 6 on March 10th ?in (23.15 at night) Holland and with these great victories K-1 is gaining quick popularity in Holland and is on its way to beat soccer and darts which score very high ratings on Dutch TV). With Saki being 23 years old, Zimmerman just turning 20, Chalid die Faust, Stefan Leko, Semmy Schilt, Niecky Holtzsrc=”../wp-content/img
Story: Bas Boon Photo’s: Bas Boon/Golden Glory © 2007
main page