“It was an historic heavyweight title fight. Adegbuyi did a good job, he wanted to throw some big shots and try to force it in the first round. But Rico is a very smart guy, intelligent and he moves well, he had his strategy,” he says of the headline fight.
“I was thinking Rico could knock him out but he also coasted a little bit in the last rounds. I understand that, to go for safety, but I also felt the hunger from Rico’s side to finish the fight. I am very satisfied with this fight. I think for the audience and the real kickboxing fans it was a great performance from two heavyweights really working hard over five rounds.
“[Next] I think a heavyweight contender [tournament] will decide who is the new challenger. So I think the next thing we do is prepare for a new contender tournament. ‘Braddock’ Silva will be in it, maybe a guy if he [wins] another fight and comes up in the ranking again. He was out for a year through [certain] circumstances but he can climb the ranking again. So there will be a contender tournament and then the winner can challenge Rico.”
Hemmers also discusses the situation in the light-heavyweight division, in which out-of-contract champion Gokhan Saki and GLORY are yet to come to terms on a new deal, and the upcoming challenge Sitthichai will make against Robin van Roosmalen’s lightweight title.
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