Macpotata
Norm Smith Medallist
- Mar 22, 2017
- 9,595
- 10,877
- AFL Club
- Geelong
Which are the most memorable for you and which ones really stick out in your memory?
Quite a few for me. I'll start with a fight game that has taken a backwards step in more recent times and bring up some kickboxing. Mike Zambidis the Greek born K-1 fighter and multi world champion was an outstanding talent with excruciatingly lethal hands. He had a couple of famous and brutal bouts with another Aussie Kickboxing legend in Gurkan Ozkan. Loved the days when kickboxing was thriving and pretty big in Australia. We've had some quality home grown fighters as well as other talent step on Aussie soil from offshore. Here's Zambidis, born in Sparta go figure. He sure is a Spartan Warrior.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Zambidis
181 bouts for 157 wins, 87 by KO. Very impressive resume.
From what I can recall although I could be wrong, there was genuine bad blood between the two and a dislike for each other. There was the Greece vs Turkey rivalry, but I think it stemmed from the build up to the first fight, or after the second. In any case this was a famous fight with a famous finish.
Just googling Ozkan now I found out that he went to jail for at least two years back in 2012. It's the first I heard of this and was surprised, albeit not surprised if you can understand and I'm sure many of you can when it comes to fighters. Many people who don't understand fighters or the fight game have a negative view of such characters and certainly like anything in life there are good and bad in all aspects. With athletes and particularly fighters they have an almost primal rage in them. This is not to stereotype all fighters because again the emphasis is on not all are the same. Some are ticking time bombs and when they aren't fighting or post career, don't have that outlet, focus and mental and physical release they get when they are prepping for a fight or just in the gym. There is no end goal, no drive, no goal in sight. They merely get lost. You see it in Footballers and NFL players too when they hang their boots up. In now way am I condoning it, but I do understand it. Anyway it was a great bout between two great fighters and sportsmen. Zambidis was well trained in boxing and the way he puts his punches together you could easily mistake him for a pro boxer.
What led me to Zambidis first was another fight in actual fact where he was the much fancied favourite bluing against New Zealand's Mike Cope { I think he's from NZ } Anyway it just goes to show no matter how good you are or how much of a favourite you can be, you are always susceptible to a loss. Granted Cope was no slouch, but this was a famous upset win and one that pretty much no one saw coming.
check it out, it didn't last long.
Anyway I thought I would post something different than just your UFC and boxing fights. I did come here to ask more so for those as opposed to kickboxing but I remembered these and thought I'd share. On Cope's victory is also goes to show there are various ways to win a fight and even if you do down or are hurt, you're not out of it and can still emerge the victor.
One fight I will add is the famous victory from Kostya Tszyu against the flashy and cocky Zab Judah. The famous '' chicken dance ''
Styles make fights. I thought Kostya was going to meet his match with the younger, faster, flashier Judah but you also can't underestimate and disregard knowledge and a savvy experienced veteran in Tszyu. Just because one guy might like the prettier fighter, the more exuberant and the more flamboyant does not mean he is the better fighter or will always win. Zab provided more angles, flashier and slicker foot work and head movement { not when it mattered } along with pace and combos but Tszyu had timing and precision on his side as well as ring smarts and an impeccable fight I.Q. Tzsyu showed it's not always about flamboyance and show skills it's about getting the work done, and there are many ways to skin a cat. Zab had the foot speed as well as hand speed but the old Lion won out by planting him not where he was, but where he was GOING to be. Perfect execution by our Russian born adopted Aussie. Shut that loud mouth up quite nicely I must say
Share some of your most memorable fights as well as fighters you've taken a liking to.
Quite a few for me. I'll start with a fight game that has taken a backwards step in more recent times and bring up some kickboxing. Mike Zambidis the Greek born K-1 fighter and multi world champion was an outstanding talent with excruciatingly lethal hands. He had a couple of famous and brutal bouts with another Aussie Kickboxing legend in Gurkan Ozkan. Loved the days when kickboxing was thriving and pretty big in Australia. We've had some quality home grown fighters as well as other talent step on Aussie soil from offshore. Here's Zambidis, born in Sparta go figure. He sure is a Spartan Warrior.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Zambidis
181 bouts for 157 wins, 87 by KO. Very impressive resume.
From what I can recall although I could be wrong, there was genuine bad blood between the two and a dislike for each other. There was the Greece vs Turkey rivalry, but I think it stemmed from the build up to the first fight, or after the second. In any case this was a famous fight with a famous finish.
Just googling Ozkan now I found out that he went to jail for at least two years back in 2012. It's the first I heard of this and was surprised, albeit not surprised if you can understand and I'm sure many of you can when it comes to fighters. Many people who don't understand fighters or the fight game have a negative view of such characters and certainly like anything in life there are good and bad in all aspects. With athletes and particularly fighters they have an almost primal rage in them. This is not to stereotype all fighters because again the emphasis is on not all are the same. Some are ticking time bombs and when they aren't fighting or post career, don't have that outlet, focus and mental and physical release they get when they are prepping for a fight or just in the gym. There is no end goal, no drive, no goal in sight. They merely get lost. You see it in Footballers and NFL players too when they hang their boots up. In now way am I condoning it, but I do understand it. Anyway it was a great bout between two great fighters and sportsmen. Zambidis was well trained in boxing and the way he puts his punches together you could easily mistake him for a pro boxer.
What led me to Zambidis first was another fight in actual fact where he was the much fancied favourite bluing against New Zealand's Mike Cope { I think he's from NZ } Anyway it just goes to show no matter how good you are or how much of a favourite you can be, you are always susceptible to a loss. Granted Cope was no slouch, but this was a famous upset win and one that pretty much no one saw coming.
check it out, it didn't last long.
Anyway I thought I would post something different than just your UFC and boxing fights. I did come here to ask more so for those as opposed to kickboxing but I remembered these and thought I'd share. On Cope's victory is also goes to show there are various ways to win a fight and even if you do down or are hurt, you're not out of it and can still emerge the victor.
One fight I will add is the famous victory from Kostya Tszyu against the flashy and cocky Zab Judah. The famous '' chicken dance ''
Styles make fights. I thought Kostya was going to meet his match with the younger, faster, flashier Judah but you also can't underestimate and disregard knowledge and a savvy experienced veteran in Tszyu. Just because one guy might like the prettier fighter, the more exuberant and the more flamboyant does not mean he is the better fighter or will always win. Zab provided more angles, flashier and slicker foot work and head movement { not when it mattered } along with pace and combos but Tszyu had timing and precision on his side as well as ring smarts and an impeccable fight I.Q. Tzsyu showed it's not always about flamboyance and show skills it's about getting the work done, and there are many ways to skin a cat. Zab had the foot speed as well as hand speed but the old Lion won out by planting him not where he was, but where he was GOING to be. Perfect execution by our Russian born adopted Aussie. Shut that loud mouth up quite nicely I must say
Share some of your most memorable fights as well as fighters you've taken a liking to.
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