When Mike Sexton said that poker is a war, he certainly didn’t mean that players were fighting. But sometimes passions at the gaming table boil so much that you just can’t do without boxing gloves. Sure, fights between poker pros aren’t the smoothest from a technical point of view, but that doesn’t make them any less spectacular. And they immediately attract the attention of users of legiano.itwhich belongs to Legianoand the rest of the poker community.
Kevin Hart vs. Antonio Esfandiari
Despite the fact that Kevin and Antonio are considered friends, the blows to the head did not stop them. It all started in the summer of 2018. Hart was tired of constantly losing to his partner, so he decided to even the score in the ring. And although the 40-year-old Esfandiari had no sporting achievements under his belt, the poker player accepted the challenge.
Bookies had Hart winning at odds of 35 to 1. Esfandiari was not in good shape before he started training, but a few months before the fight he started spending 7 days a week in the gym. He was trained by amateur Olympic heavyweight champion Audley Harrison. Antonio also trained specifically with a professional boxer who was 163 centimeters tall, just like his future opponent.
Hart took the challenge seriously and trained hard, honing his hooks and jabs.
The fight took place in April 2019 behind closed doors in one of the Las Vegas rings. 3 rounds of 3 minutes each. The fight is worth watching again for anyone who is planning to play poker in Legiano.
Against all odds, Esfandiari managed not only to withstand Hart’s pressure, but also to snatch the victory on points. The first to congratulate him were fellow poker players Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly, who acted as seconds. Kevin accepted the defeat without excuses and immediately spoke of a rematch in 2022.
Olivier Busquets bloody fight
Before October 2015, not many people knew that Olivier Busquets is a big fan of mixed martial arts. On his Twitter, one of the best heads-up SnG players announced that he is looking for an opponent to fight under MMA rules. SnG tournaments are also held in Legiano.
The poker player’s main goals were:
- To get back in shape.
- To test his skills.
There were many people willing to participate.
Until the last moment, the most likely opponent was Terrence Chan. But since Busquets was due to step into the ring for the first time and Chan has already had time to requalify as a professional, the fight was postponed to better times.
We didn’t have to wait long for a new opponent. JC Alvarado, a Mexican poker pro, responded to the offer to compete. He was also fond of mixed combat, so within a few days the players began to discuss the terms of the match. Busquets, as a debutant, banked $120,000. Alvarado, who had already entered the ring, bet $150,000. The Mexican wasn’t even embarrassed by the fact that his opponent weighed 10 kg more.
Training before the fight lasted more than half a year. Olivier trained regularly, followed a special diet and rest program, and actively shared photos on social networks.
On April 21, 2016, the two rivals met in the ring in Las Vegas. From the first minutes it was clear that Alvarado did not reach the level of his opponent. Busquets, blow after blow, beat the Mexican until his face was transformed into a mask of blood. The fight ended with a technical knockout.
After the victory Olivier thanked his opponent and even hugged him. But on JC’s face you could only read pain and fatigue. Later Alvarado wrote that he was not afraid of pain, but of not being able to fully show his abilities. This is the main thing that the guests of Legiano they should know.
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