‘Dynamite’ Loses Ill LeBanner; Manhoef to Face Hunt
Tony Loiseleur Dec 30, 2008
TOKYO -- Jerome
LeBanner was noticeably absent from a Tuesday press conference
to promote K-1 “Premium 2008 Dynamite,” scheduled for New Year’s
Eve at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
According to Fighting and Entertainment Group President Sadaharu Tanigawa, LeBanner -- who has withdrawn from his scheduled bout against Mark Hunt -- remained at home after being stricken with influenza. He reported that the Frenchman was beset by a 102.2-degree fever, was having difficulty breathing and had been hospitalized.
Dutch striker Melvin
Manhoef will face Hunt in LeBanner’s stead, FEG representatives
confirmed. One of the combat sports world’s most-feared knockout
artists, Manhoef (22-5-1) will enter the match with wins in five of
his past six fights. He submitted to a Gegard
Mousasi triangle choke at Dream 6 in September.
Many fighters donned heavy jackets in an effort to fight off the cold at the pre-fight presser. Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba, rather than speaking about his main event bout, addressed the bone-chilling temperatures.
Sakuraba’s opponent, longtime nemesis Kiyoshi Tamura, was all business.
“This fight has been 12 years coming,” he said. “I’ll put my whole spirit into fighting Mr. Sakuraba.”
Ahead of the co-main event, Dream lightweight champion Joachim Hansen was curt, as he guaranteed his usual brand of in-ring mayhem in his rematch with Gesias Cavalcante.
“I’ll have a very tough fight [with Cavalcante], and I’ll do my best to win,” Hansen said. “I’ll fight like I always fight -- exciting for all of you.”
Cavalcante, whom Hansen decisioned inside the Shooto promotion in 2004, was more passionate with his words. Having apparently recovered from a torn knee ligament, the American Top Team lightweight has not competed since April
“I’m going to fight like someone who has a dream, and my dream is to be a fighter,” Cavalcante said. “If you have a dream, fight for it. I’d like to give all my energy back [in my fight] for the New Year, because it’s what I love to do.”
Philadelphia’s own Eddie Alvarez was equally enthused in advance of his matchup with grappling sensation Shinya Aoki. They will collide for the vacant World Association of Mixed Martial Arts lightweight championship.
“I love it here in Japan, so much that I’ve decided to bring my family with me this trip,” Alvarez said. “I’ve been waiting a long time to fight Mr. Aoki, and I’m just glad the time’s here. The type of fight I’d like to put on tomorrow is a very aggressive, very high-paced fight. I’m going to push my opponent and do everything in my power and my spirit to make him quit.”
Rather than rising to the challenge of Alvarez’s words, Aoki took the opportunity to address the state of international MMA in his pre-fight comments.
“I think that the center of the MMA world is now in the United States, but I’m very proud and happy that I can fight in a Japanese event,” Aoki said. “I will fight a fight that will bring the center of MMA back to Japan.”
Given the UFC’s current courtship of 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii, Dream event producer Keiichi Sasahara expressed sentiments similar to Aoki’s and exhorted Japanese fans to give their all in supporting their homegrown promotions on New Year’s Eve.
“People say that the center of the marital arts world has moved to the United States, but I don’t think that’s true,” Sasahara said. “We have so many passionate Japanese fans that I am sure that Japan is still the center for martial arts.”
Returning to action quickly after his anti-climactic disqualification at the K-1 World Grand Prix finals earlier this month, Dutch Badr Hari had nothing but kind words for opponent Alistair Overeem, though he promised a decisive end to their confrontation.
“I’ll fight Alistair, and I will hurt him,” Hari said. “I will knock him out. I’ll be bringing a lot of pain for him in the ring, so he better be prepared.”
Overeem reminded fans that while he and Hari will be fighting a K-1 rules bout on New Year’s Eve, a rematch will soon follow but under rules that will likely better suit him.
“As you’ve seen in the K-1 finals, [Hari] likes to use MMA techniques,” Overeem said. “That’s why we’ve agreed to do two fights -- first we’ll be fighting K-1 rules, and after, we’ll be fighting MMA rules.”
Another MMA fighter locked into K-1 rules bouts, Tatsuya Kawajiri expressed confidence in his abilities to defeat time-tested K-1 star Kozo Takeda.
“I have the pride of an MMA fighter,” Kawajiri said with a smile, “and I will defeat Mr. Takeda in our K-1 bout.”
Likewise, Dream middleweight champion Mousasi showed a similar attitude, as he prepared for his bout against Musashi.
“This is my first K-1 fight,” Mousasi said, “so I’ve got nothing to lose.”
The once highly regarded Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic expressed uncertainty over the outcome of his match with 7-foot-2 Korean giant Hong Man Choi.
“A friend of mine, a Croation basketball silver medalist in Barcelona, he’s the same size as Choi,” Filipovic said. “He’s not a fighter, of course, but he came to help me in the last few weeks because it was the only option for me to spar with such a tall man. We’ll see tomorrow how it’s going to be. I don’t know yet.”
Bob Sapp, who will face Akihito Tanaka -- clad in the garb of classic Japanese cartoon character “Kinnikuman” -- made perhaps the wittiest remark of the pre-fight presser.
“Tomorrow,” Sapp said, “my opponent will face his worst nightmare -- reality.”
Tanaka, in full “Kinnikuman” regalia, declined to comment.
According to Fighting and Entertainment Group President Sadaharu Tanigawa, LeBanner -- who has withdrawn from his scheduled bout against Mark Hunt -- remained at home after being stricken with influenza. He reported that the Frenchman was beset by a 102.2-degree fever, was having difficulty breathing and had been hospitalized.
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Many fighters donned heavy jackets in an effort to fight off the cold at the pre-fight presser. Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba, rather than speaking about his main event bout, addressed the bone-chilling temperatures.
“I’m very cold, and, actually, my nose is running right now,”
Sakuraba said in jest. “Please cheer for me.”
Sakuraba’s opponent, longtime nemesis Kiyoshi Tamura, was all business.
“This fight has been 12 years coming,” he said. “I’ll put my whole spirit into fighting Mr. Sakuraba.”
Ahead of the co-main event, Dream lightweight champion Joachim Hansen was curt, as he guaranteed his usual brand of in-ring mayhem in his rematch with Gesias Cavalcante.
“I’ll have a very tough fight [with Cavalcante], and I’ll do my best to win,” Hansen said. “I’ll fight like I always fight -- exciting for all of you.”
Cavalcante, whom Hansen decisioned inside the Shooto promotion in 2004, was more passionate with his words. Having apparently recovered from a torn knee ligament, the American Top Team lightweight has not competed since April
“I’m going to fight like someone who has a dream, and my dream is to be a fighter,” Cavalcante said. “If you have a dream, fight for it. I’d like to give all my energy back [in my fight] for the New Year, because it’s what I love to do.”
Philadelphia’s own Eddie Alvarez was equally enthused in advance of his matchup with grappling sensation Shinya Aoki. They will collide for the vacant World Association of Mixed Martial Arts lightweight championship.
“I love it here in Japan, so much that I’ve decided to bring my family with me this trip,” Alvarez said. “I’ve been waiting a long time to fight Mr. Aoki, and I’m just glad the time’s here. The type of fight I’d like to put on tomorrow is a very aggressive, very high-paced fight. I’m going to push my opponent and do everything in my power and my spirit to make him quit.”
Rather than rising to the challenge of Alvarez’s words, Aoki took the opportunity to address the state of international MMA in his pre-fight comments.
“I think that the center of the MMA world is now in the United States, but I’m very proud and happy that I can fight in a Japanese event,” Aoki said. “I will fight a fight that will bring the center of MMA back to Japan.”
Given the UFC’s current courtship of 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii, Dream event producer Keiichi Sasahara expressed sentiments similar to Aoki’s and exhorted Japanese fans to give their all in supporting their homegrown promotions on New Year’s Eve.
“People say that the center of the marital arts world has moved to the United States, but I don’t think that’s true,” Sasahara said. “We have so many passionate Japanese fans that I am sure that Japan is still the center for martial arts.”
Returning to action quickly after his anti-climactic disqualification at the K-1 World Grand Prix finals earlier this month, Dutch Badr Hari had nothing but kind words for opponent Alistair Overeem, though he promised a decisive end to their confrontation.
“I’ll fight Alistair, and I will hurt him,” Hari said. “I will knock him out. I’ll be bringing a lot of pain for him in the ring, so he better be prepared.”
Overeem reminded fans that while he and Hari will be fighting a K-1 rules bout on New Year’s Eve, a rematch will soon follow but under rules that will likely better suit him.
“As you’ve seen in the K-1 finals, [Hari] likes to use MMA techniques,” Overeem said. “That’s why we’ve agreed to do two fights -- first we’ll be fighting K-1 rules, and after, we’ll be fighting MMA rules.”
Another MMA fighter locked into K-1 rules bouts, Tatsuya Kawajiri expressed confidence in his abilities to defeat time-tested K-1 star Kozo Takeda.
“I have the pride of an MMA fighter,” Kawajiri said with a smile, “and I will defeat Mr. Takeda in our K-1 bout.”
Likewise, Dream middleweight champion Mousasi showed a similar attitude, as he prepared for his bout against Musashi.
“This is my first K-1 fight,” Mousasi said, “so I’ve got nothing to lose.”
The once highly regarded Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic expressed uncertainty over the outcome of his match with 7-foot-2 Korean giant Hong Man Choi.
“A friend of mine, a Croation basketball silver medalist in Barcelona, he’s the same size as Choi,” Filipovic said. “He’s not a fighter, of course, but he came to help me in the last few weeks because it was the only option for me to spar with such a tall man. We’ll see tomorrow how it’s going to be. I don’t know yet.”
Bob Sapp, who will face Akihito Tanaka -- clad in the garb of classic Japanese cartoon character “Kinnikuman” -- made perhaps the wittiest remark of the pre-fight presser.
“Tomorrow,” Sapp said, “my opponent will face his worst nightmare -- reality.”
Tanaka, in full “Kinnikuman” regalia, declined to comment.
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