When his knee injury has been resolved, Glory heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven (34) is aiming for a title fight in late October or early November. His opponent in it will be Antonio Plazibat or Tariq Osaro. The latter won a four-man tournament in Rotterdam Ahoy tonight, which brought him a big step closer to Verhoeven’s championship belt. Endy Semeleer in turn defended his welterweight title convincingly against Murthel Groenhart tonight.
Osaro fought a four-man tournament tonight with Murat Aygün, Jahfarr Wilnis and Enver Sljivar. Glory debutant Aygün, who was initially in the supporting act, replaced Luis Tavares at the last minute, who had withdrawn due to a bacterial infection. Both Osaro and Aygün won their semi-finals quite quickly and without too much damage: Osaro van Wilnis in the second round on knockout and Aygün van Sljivar on technical knockout at the end of the first round.
In the final, Osaro, who fights under the Nigerian flag, showed the class difference with Aygün. He won all three rounds convincingly and took his tournament victory by technical knockout, after Aygün had four times a knockdown had to process.
After his victory, ‘Cookie’ will fight Plazibat, his training buddy at Mike’s Gym, for the interim heavyweight title on June 17. The winner of that fight is Rico Verhoeven’s new challenger, who is aiming for a comeback in the fall. Osaro already knows that he is assured of a place among the eight heavyweights who will compete in December’s Glory Grand Prix, the K-1-like tournament that the kickboxing organization set up this year. This makes him the first confirmed participant for that tournament.
In addition to the fight between Plazibat and Osaro on June 17, that evening in Rotterdam Ahoy, the middleweight title will also be fought by champion Donovan Wisse and challenger Serkan Ozcaglayan. That had been clear for a long time, but Glory officially announced yesterday at the press conference.
Semeleer
Endy Semeleer (27) convincingly defended his welterweight title against Murthel Groenhart, who was brought back by Glory. In all five rounds, he dominated his opponent, who went to the canvas three times (knockdown). Semeleer became welterweight champion in November last year by beating Alim Nabiyev after a questionable jury decision. He thought it unfair that he didn’t rematch was offered. Glory-matchmaker Robbie Timmers had judged that the previous match between Nabiyev and Semeleer was not entertaining enough. Groenhart did get his chance, but was the lesser in all five rounds and therefore lost after a unanimous jury decision.
Listen to this week’s In de Ring here, with Murthel Groenhart and regular guest Remy Bonjasky:
Other results:
Michael Duut vs. Mo Amine (Light Heavyweight): Amine wins by judges decision (unanimous).
Berjan Peposhi vs. Jan Kaffa (featherweight): Kaffa wins by judges decision (unanimous).
Fabio Kwasi vs. Nikola Filipovic (heavyweight, supporting act): Filipovic wins by jury decision (majority).
Maksymilian Bratkowicz vs. Brice Kombou (middleweight, support act): Kombou wins by technical knockout.
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