Thrilling K-1 WORLD MAX Tournament Delights Kickboxing Fans with Knockout Action
Kickboxing Fans Treated to Thrilling K-1 WORLD MAX Tournament
The K-1 WORLD MAX event held at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo on Wednesday delivered an exhilarating evening of kickboxing action, despite some controversial judging decisions.
The opening round of the 2024 K-1 MAX -70 Grand Prix saw several surprises, as lesser-known fighters like Kacper Muszyński and Romano Bakboord upset tournament favorites to secure their spots in the one-night tournament final scheduled for July 7.
The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the cruiserweight title fight between Liu Ce and Sina Karimian. The Chinese fighter dominated the contest, scoring four knockdowns before landing a devastating right hook to put Karimian away in the second round. It was a clear contender for Knockout of the Year.
In the main event, K-1 Featherweight champion Taito Gunji narrowly edged out RISE Featherweight champion Keisuke Monguchi in a close, extra-round battle, extending Gunji’s winning streak to 13 fights.
“Despite some questionable judging decisions that led to unnecessary extension rounds, the K-1 WORLD MAX event provided fans with an entertaining showcase of top-level kickboxing talent. The future of the collaboration between K-1 and RISE, however, remains uncertain, as RISE CEO Takashi Ito hinted at potential issues that could mark the end of their partnership.”
🔗 Source
