Headlined by a heavyweight contest between the legendary Dutch fighters Remy Bonjasky (77-15, 40 KO’s) and Tyrone Spong (68-6-1 42 KO’s) and supported by some of the world’s best stand up fighters, Glory’s inaugural UK event promises to showcase the most stacked kickboxing card ever to grace a British venue.
GLORY 5 will see 22 fighters and 11 fights spread across one memorable night. From top to bottom, the card features a roll call of world-class talent including the likes of Albert Kraus (66-16-3, 39 KO’s), winner of the first ever K-1 MAX tournament, facing the sensational Andy Ristie (43-2, 16 KO’s) in a match which will go a long way towards determining a top lightweight contender.
British talents Jordan Watson (29-5-1, 14 KO's) and Liam Harrison (67-13-2, 38 KO’s) widely regarded as two of the best kickboxers the UK has ever produced also feature. Hailing from the Bad Company gym in Leeds, England, the duo have fought all over the world and are amongst the few foreigners to have found success in the fighting rings of Thailand.
The London event comes hot on the heels of Glory’s New Year’s Eve ‘grand slam’ event in Tokyo, Japan and follows a series of spectacular, sold out events throughout 2012 which have consolidated Glory’s reputation as the world’s premiere kickboxing league and home to the wold’s most respected stand up fighters.
“When GLORY decided to stage a show in London we knew we would have to put together a special card for the British capital. Fans have wanted to see a fight between Remy Bonjasky and Tyrone Spong for some time but the two have never met in the ring - until now,” says Marcus Luer, GLORY CEO.
“Bonjasky is an idol to fight fans around the world and Spong has been on a steady rise to the top, he’s a fighter that everybody is talking about right now. They are both very skilled and very fast so we are expecting a really entertaining fight. Bonjasky’s flying knees and Spong’s hands are capable of stopping a fight in an instant - don’t blink.”
Tickets for the highly anticipated GLORY 5: Spong vs. Bonjasky will go on sale from today - Friday, January 11 - via Ticketmaster. Tickets are priced at £45, £65 and £200. Fans can purchase tickets at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by telephone via 0844 847 2543.
Known as ‘The Flying Gentleman’, Bonjasky stands 1.93m (6‘3”) and weighs 108 kilograms (238 pounds) and is a household name among kickboxing fans. His illustrious career has seen him win numerous top honours, including three K-1 Grand Prix wins, but this will be the first time that British fight fans have the opportunity to see him fight live.
One of the most athletic fighters ever to step into the ring, Bonjasky’s flying knees and kicks have provided some of the most enduring images of the sport. Among his career victories are wins over Badr Hari, Peter Aerts, Alistair Overeem and Jerome LeBanner. Bonjasky participated in GLORY’s 16-man Grand Slam tournament in Tokyo, Japan on New Year’s Eve and has gone 2-1 in 2012.
Like Bonjasky, Amsterdam native Spong, who recently relocated to Boca Raton, Fla. to train with the famed ‘Blackzilians’ fight squad, is a world-class athlete. Standing 1.88 meters (6-foot-2) and weighing 103.5 kilograms (228 pounds), he started his career as a middleweight and has retained that speed and fluidity as he has moved up through the weight classes to heavyweight.
With explosive power in his hands, nearly two-thirds of Spong’s wins have been by stoppage, including his June KO of the legendary Peter Aerts, also a three-time winner of the K-1 Grand Prix. Prior to moving up to heavyweight, Spong held the light-heavyweight (95 kilogram/210 pound) title in top European organization It’s Showtime, which GLORY purchased in October 2012.
Other highlights include the light-heavyweight Danyo Ilunga (41-4, 34 KO’s), a student of Bonjasky’s who has been thrilling fans across Europe making his UK debut against the top French talent Stephane Susperregui (32-4-1, 27 KO’s).in a fight that is very unlikely to go the distance.
Britain’s Liam Harrison faces Mosab ‘Jaguar’ Amrani (48-7-4, 14 KO’s), a Dutch-Moroccan fighter who combines ferocity with exceptional technicality. His world-class skills will provide the toughest test of Harrison’s career to date. Watson faces an equally tough test in the shape of Australia’s ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Moxon (29-4-1, 16 KO's), a knockout machine with a sky-high finishing ratio.
The full fight card is as follows. All fights are three rounds of three minutes duration fought under Glory World Series rules.
Glory 5: Bonjasky vs. Spong Fight Card
Heavyweight
Tyrone Spong (Suriname) vs. Remy Bonjasky (Netherlands)
Lightweight
Andy Ristie (Suriname) vs. Albert Kraus (Netherlands)
Light-Heavyweight
Stephane Susperregui (France) vs. Danyo Ilunga (Congo)
Featherweight
Liam Harrison (UK) vs. Mosab Armani (Morocco)
Lightweight
Jordan Watson (UK) vs. Steve Moxon (Australia)
Light-Heavyweight
Raymond Daniels (USA) vs. TBC
Heavyweight
Singh Jaideep (UK/India) vs. Yong Soo Park (South Korea)
Middleweight
Steve Wakeling (UK) vs. Simon Marcus (Canada)
Welterweight
Maxim Vyrovski (Russia) vs. Duoli Chen (China)
Lightweight
Johann Fauveau (France) vs. Warren Stevelmans (South Africa)
Catchweight
Reece McAllister (UK) vs. Tim Thomas (UK)
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