AUCKLAND, March 4, 2006 -- Tucked into a two-kilometer-wide isthmus between harbors on the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean, New Zealand's largest metropolis is a marvel of diversity. Known in Maori as Tamaki Makau Rau, Auckland is both the world's largest Polynesian city and the home one of the South Pacific's most vibrant European-style café cultures. Aucklanders (or "Jafa" as they have been dubiously dubbed by Kiwis south of the Bombay Hills) are equally keen on their crisp Sauvignon Blanc as they are on frenetic Haka dancing.
Auckland Harbor
Aucklanders also love their sports, from rugby or yachting. This weekend, it's K-1 that holds center stage, as the city plays host to the opening event in the K-1 World Grand Prix '06 Series.
The K-1 Oceania will be a classic K-1 eight-man knock-out format tournament. First-tier 3min x 3 round matchups will advance four men to a pair of semifinal fights, and the two winners there will meet in the final. Thus the man who wins the Oceania GP must prevail in three consecutive fights over scarcely three hours. The reward is a healthy cash purse and a ticket to the World Grand Prix '06 Final Elimination at the Osaka Dome this September 30. Also on the card are Superfights featuring Ray Sefo, Semmy Schilt and Peter Aerts.
On this sunny, late-summer Saturday afternoon, the fighters who will do battle in tomorrow's event met the media at the Sky City Grand Hotel Convention Center in central Auckland.
Sky City Hotel in Auckland
There is a tremendous amount of talent here -- the first tournament bout will feature the explosive Cyril Abidi, who, it could be argued, has never made a boring fight in his entire K-1 career. The Marseilles kickboxer will take on Hiraku Hori, a 23 year-old Japanese up-and-comer whose boxing background has taught him to use his reach (Hori stands 198cm/6'6") to advantage.
Hori was characteristically modest here, saying only "If I marshal all my strength, I hope I can have a good fight." Abidi, meanwhile made the same promise he does every time: "I respect my opponent, and I'll do my best!"
Auckland homies Jason Suttie and Pola Mataele will tango in the second matchup. Mataele fights out of the Ray Sefo Fight Academy gym, and at 200cm/6'7"is the tallest fighter in the tournament. Jason "Psycho" Suttie is a tough, squat veteran with 59 bouts under his belt.
One of those contests was against Mataele. "I beat the three biggest last year," smiled Suttie," and I'm furious that Pola is here again this time round! So, I'll show my fury tomorrow, in the ring, and I'll beat him again!" Replied Mataele: "I'm just looking forward to evening things up with Jason."
All Fighters
The third fight will feature a couple of excellent kickers, as Peter Graham, an Aussie who won the Oceania GP in 2003 and 2004, steps in against the untamed Badi Hari of the Netherlands.
Hari is only 21 years-old, but already his bad boy reputation precedes him. Graham, intent perhaps on mocking his opponent, strode into the pres conference with spiked hair, wraparound sunglasses and a neo-punk black jacket. Then he turned serious.
"I saw your last press conference," said Graham to Hari, "and I was disgusted with the disrespect you showed for the K-1 veterans there. Well, today's the press conference so you can talk the talk, but tomorrow is a fight, so you better bring it."
An incensed Hari stood up and pointed his finger at Graham: "Well, I saw your fight tapes and you're an amateur! How old are you, thirty? Why don't you drop dead!"
Hari responded to a TV New Zealand reporter's suggestion that he is talented but not dedicated by saying "I have a new trainer, Andre Mannaart in Amsterdam, and I work hard because I'm serious about my future. Tomorrow I'm going to knock everyone out."
Hari responded to another reporter's suggestion that we was a blowhard by offering to fight the reporter. Hari finally sat down, but there were further words and some shoving between his and Graham's teams after the press conference. This one will be a war.
In the last quarterfinal, Polish-born, Australia-based Muay Thai fighter Paul Slowinski will go up against Rony Sefo. The junior Sefo has learned a thing or two as the training partner and younger brother of one of the K-1 greats.
Said Slowinski, who has already beaten Sefo twice: "Both my bouts with Rony were tough and it's going to be tough again, I'm sure." For his part, Sefo was cautiously optimistic that things would turn round tomorrow: "It's going to be great, Paul is a good fighter and it will be hard, but I want to win the fight -- and then I want to go on and win the tournament!"
The elder Sefo will appear in the main event, taking on South African Francois "The White Buffalo" Botha, a former I.B.F. Heavyweight Champion, in a Superfight.
Francois Botha and Ray Sefo
The bout will be "Sugarfoot" Sefo's first in his native New Zealand in more than eight years. "It's just awesome, I'm very grateful that K-1 is bringing such a big tournament here," said Sefo. "It means a lot to me because I'm in my hometown, but also the prime time coverage across the nation will do a hell of a lot to develop the sport here. Botha beat [Jerome] LeBanner, he's a boxing champ so it will be a hell of a fight -- one of us is going down, so everyone enjoy the show!"
Botha said simply that he was ready to fight and had come to New Zealand to win.
A second Superfight will pit Defending K-1 World GP Champion Semmy Schilt of the Netherlands against his compatriot Champ Peter Aerts, a living legend who has won the WGP three times. Will "The Lumberjack" be able to cut Schilt down to size?
Semmy Schilt and Peter Aerts
"Well, it's a big fight and I'm an old man," joked Aerts, "and he has a big advantage because of his height. But I have a small advantage too, so we'll see!"
Schilt, who has looked unstoppable recording 13 wins and one draw in his 14 K-1 bouts, said only that he would again show his fans a great fight.
In tournament reserve fights, it will be Ben Edwards of Australia versus Jay Hepi of New Zealand; Sydney Asiata of New Zealand versus Matt Samoa of Australia.
K-1 New Zealand Event Producer Dixon McIver was excited on the eve of the event: "It was a five-year plan that got K-1 to this level in New Zealand, thanks to the work from our team and thanks also to our local hero Ray Sefo. It is great to have guests like Schilt and Aerts on the card and it's been a privilege to work with all the people who got us here!"
In advance of the tournament, K-1 announced new rules to crack down on defensive techniques that threaten to slow a fight's pace. In order to ensure more strikes per round, holding will henceforth be prohibited, with refs penalizing fighters for infractions.
K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Auckland Press Conference
Set for the Trusts Stadium (which is already sold out), the K-1 Oceania GP '06 will be broadcast live on the Fuji Television Network and Fuji Satellite TV in Japan; on TV2 in New Zealand; and on MBC/ESPN in South Korea. The event will be delay-broadcast on EuroSport across Europe, on ProTV in Romania and GroboSat in Brazil. In total, the Oceania GP will be seen in more than 50 countries -- please check with local broadcasters for scheduling details.
And as always, visit the K-1 Official Website (www.k-1.co.jp) for complete post-event coverage.
