As of Tuesday, the head games between GLORY heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven and Badr Hari are now officially underway.
Hari, 31, whose had a reputation for being kickboxing’s bad boy for the majority of his career, stared long and hard at the champion throughout the GLORY: COLLISION press conference at Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Meanwhile, Verhoeven — like usual — remained his calm and collected self.
The fight, which takes place on Dec. 10, 2016, at Konig-Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, was announced this past July and is being billed as the biggest heavyweight kickboxing match of all time. It will be shown on UFC.TV via pay-per-view for an expected price of $29.95.
Verhoeven, 27, was asked how it felt now that he and Hari were finally in the same room with one another.
“For me it feels good,” he said. “I’m excited. Like I said, I never get out of the way of a good challenge. I always try to challenge myself to the max, and I think I’m doing it this time again. So, yeah, I’ve been performing on a top level now for several years. And to jump into what I mean with the ‘new school vs. old school,’ he said he was fighting in Japan when I was still fighting with shin guards, so he’s putting himself on the pedestal that he is older.”
“I’m coming up, I think I’ve fought some old school guys as well. I think he’s an old school guy because he’s from the K-1 days. He was in the top eight in the finals of K-1. He did very well. I miss those days. That’s what I meant with the old school vs. new school. Now we have the new school rules and if you want to go for the title you have to go for five rounds. Well, he didn’t want to go five rounds because back in the day they only fought three rounds. But, like I said it’s new school now. It’s old school vs. new school time.”
“The Golden Boy” then gave his reasoning for the fight not being a five-round affair.
“It’s a challenge,” said Hari, who last fought in August of 2015, a technical knockout win over Ismael Londt. “He’s the GLORY champion. I don’t want to restrict the GLORY brand, so I will say that he is a champion. Whether or not he thinks the title holds any value is completely up to him. And then he claims that I don’t want to fight five rounds for the title. Let me … I will also address those rumors, to my best abilities. It’s not that I don’t want to fight for the title, but I am thinking about long-term possibilities. Where he thinks this will be a ‘fun’ affair for honor and other things.”
“I think about the pay because I’m a real prize fighter. Money gets me in that ring and when it’s challenging that helps too. The problem is when I KO Rico in the first round, I will also direct this to Cor Hemmers, so he’s prepared for 2017 and the rest of GLORY. When I KO Rico in the first round, the title won’t be worth jack shit. Not a damn Euro. So, what will be the next match? That we’ll be the battle for the title of course, for real this time. That’ll be a double payday for me this year and next year if I read Cor correctly (looking at Hemmers on the dais). That’s the whole reason of that title. Where he thinks I don’t want to fight five rounds. I am thinking about two great paydays.”
*Dutch translation into English and transcription via Fight Pirate
Verhoeven, who clarified he said it would be a “fan” fight and not a “fun” fight, said he thinks it will end quick, but it will be him who is the victor in Oberhausen, Germany in December.
“I definitely think it will be over quick, but it will go my way,” Verhoeven said. “I am in top shape. You cant prepare for a top guy like me in just four months.”
“I feel good,” the champion added. “I am ready for this fight. I was ready a few months ago, I am ready now. For me the fight could be next week. He is getting ready, I was already ready. I was born ready!”
As the two combatants were called up to square off for the fans in attendance, Hari stormed off the dais and left the press conference.
“That’s the kind of character you’re looking at, that’s him right there,” Verhoeven told Todd Grisham immediately afterward.
WOW! @RicoVerhoeven stands up for the staredown and @badr84hari walks out of the building! #GLORYCollision pic.twitter.com/xvD8C4UinR
— GLORY Kickboxing (@GLORY_WS) November 1, 2016
Earlier in the press conference, GLORY CEO Jon J. Franklin announced a new television deal with Ziggo Sport, an Amsterdam station. In addition to that news, the three remaining fights for GLORY: COLLISION were revealed. Nieky Holzken vs. Cedric Doumbe for the Welterweight title, Ismael Londt vs. Jamal Ben Saddik in a heavyweight clash, and the women’s Superbantamweight tournament final.
View full post on MMAmania.com – All Posts