Dubai: Moroccan brawler Ismael Lazaar made use of heavy hands and a brutal pace to score a devastating second round TKO over Senegal’s Sam Tevette as he pocketed the Dh 1million jackpot on offer at the 4th Global Fighting Championship on Thursday night.
Lazaar’s unorthodox style of kickboxing had spelt disaster for his Australian opponent Tai Tuivasa, a former rugby league star, in the semifinals of the four-man tournament, and the 23-year-old fighter employed the same technique to destroy Tevette.
“I feel good, I love it here,” the beefy heavyweight hollered to a boisterous crowd of fight-fans at a sweltering Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. “This is a great country and I promise to come back to defend my title against whoever they put in front of me.
“But for now, I’m going on a vacation.”
Lazaar, the current World Champion at Enfusion Live who also qualified for the end of season ‘GFC Grand Prix’, which offers a prize pot of $1mllion, said that his goal was to be the best fighter in the world.
“I’m prepared to work hard and to fight anybody. I want to be the best.”
With Thursday’s victory Lazaar ran his record to 26 wins, 12 KO/ TKO’s), 1 loss and 2 draws.
In the main co-event of the evening, former K-1 Heavyweight Champion and It’s Showtime Heavyweight Champ, Badr Hari softened late replacement Arnold Oborotov with some punishing body shots before connecting with a thunderous straight right to the stomach that dropped the 24-year-old Lithuanian kickboxer at 2:22 of the opening round.
Oborotov, who lost in the semifinals of GFC3 in Dubai, on May 29 fell to 9 losses against 29 wins and 1 draw, while the 29-year-old Badr Hari took his record to 104 Wins (90 KO/ TKO’s) against 12 losses.
“I love this tournament, I love this place,” said Badr Hari, who won the four-man tournament at GFC 3 to earn Dh1 million in prize money.
In the two MMA fights on the night, Kiwi welterweight Luke Jumeau submitted Iranian Mohammad Mansouri with a rear-naked choke at 2:13 in the second round while Ahmad Amir defeated Hussein Mollamahdi also via submission (Guillotine choke), at 1:56 in round one.
In other action Azerbaijan’s Zabit Samedov, who claimed Badr Hari’s scalp last year in Moscow, scored a unanimous decision victory over Iranian Jafar Ahmadi.
After a loose opening round, Samedov gained control of the fight in the second by landing more frequent and powerful shots to the body. Ahmadi appeared to be intent on scoring a knockdown while Samedov was content to take evasive action and score with combinations.
Samedov, who is on a six-fight winning streak climed to 80 Wins (36 KO/ TKO’s), 11 losses and 1 draw.
UAE-based Muay Thai fighter Jamnian Srikam delived a masterclass in the ancient combat sport to wear down Turkey’s Erkan Varol and clinch the WBC International Muay Thai Title of Dubai.
From the opening bell Srikam set about landing effective kicks to Varol’s body and well as connection with accurate jabs, elbow hooks and front kicks. The Turkish fighter attempted to turn the tables in the third round but was unable to hurt Srikam, a Muay Thai instructor, who gave his students something to dwell on.
