A new Romanian success
The Japanese officials proclaimed the Superkombat champion Cătălin Moroșanu the best fighter in the K-1 Final 16 Tokyo, after he had won over Pole-Australian Paul Slowinski and qualified for the great K-1 final, where the champion will be rewarded with a USD one-million check. Eduard Irimia, SuperKombat President, received threat calls from a Dutch manager, news that shocked the organisers and the other officials attending the gala.
Called to participate in the Tokyo event at the eleventh hour, Cătălin Moroșanu put Paul Slowinski twice on the floor – a sportsman who is 10 cm taller and 10 kilos heavier – in the first and third round of the most spectacular game of the Ryogoku gala. At the end, the wife of late Andy Hug, handed him the the 1997 champion T-shirt, as an award for being confirmed the player of the night.
‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe what is happening to me! It is absolutely incredible! Three weeks ago, I wasn’t even sure that I would be here, and now I am receiving the prize for the best sportsman at the gala. My dream of being one of the best eight just came true,’ said Morosanu at the press conference. While waiting for the great final, the member of Scorpions Cotnari in Iasi will fight on November 10, in Craiova, at the Superkombat Final Elimination. Names like Freddy Kemayo, Ismael Londt and Alexey Ignashov will be also present at that event.
Eduard Irimia, intimidated
Immediately after the gala, Superkombat circuit President Eduard Irimia received a threat call from one of the Dutch managers, who is linked with Daniel Ghita in Netherlands. For the time being, Irimia would not disclose the name but in the near future he will contact his lawyers to file a complaint with the Interpol, since that person is quite controversial in that country.
‘A Dutch official sent me threats by phone messages. The announcement that Daniel Ghita is not included among the K-1 Final 16 fighters has sparked a wave of resentment so fierce that the Dutch officials started threatening. I have been warned by the contact sports organizers that I should take those threats seriously – in the past, that official was associated with various notorious groups included in the FBI or Interpol lists. I am not scared about the threat in itself, but by the fact that I am now aware of the danger during the international events I will be involved with. Should he issue a public apology, then I will take the threat as a nervous collapse. I am sure that Daniel Ghita has nothing to do with the incident and he will definitely be worried about it,’ said Eduard Irimia while showing the journalists and officials the conversation he had, via SMS, with the Dutch representative.
Adegbuyi, winner by KO
Another Romanian who stood out in Tokyo was Benjamin Adegbuyi, in a super-fight, where he won by KO in the first round against Iranian Jafar Ahmadi, a karate world champion. The second Romanian who qualified in the 16-pyramid, Raul Cătinas, lost to Australian Ben Edwards by KO in the last round after he had injured his ankle in the first round and forced himself to finish the fight. ‘I have tried to kick him in the liver, but he put his elbow in my face and I hit my ankle. I had a hard time stepping on my foot, but I wished very hard to go on with fighting, to save my honor. I am terribly sorry for the game, but I promise I will come back for a win,’said Catinas.
