Last week Yokkao Boxing and Stefania Picelli dropped a bomb on everyone when they announced Yokkao Extreme. The news was even bigger when they announced that a fight between Buakaw Por. Pramuk and Dzhabar Askerov would not be happening in Los Angeles for the Muaythai Premier League as previously announced by the them.
Behind Yokkao Extreme is Stefania Picelli, a former model who at the age of twenty five has taken the reigns of promoting the upcoming January 2012 event. Stefania was kind enough to answer some questions for Muay Thai Authority regarding her involvement with Yokkao Extreme and the news of Buakaw vs. Dzhabar Askerov.
MTA: Yokkao Extreme was recently announced and you are the promoter for the event, how did you end up in the fight promotion business?
Stefania: I think that nothing happens by chance, that you have to work a lot to achieve your goals and this is what I did for the last 3 years.
Stefania: I think that nothing happens by chance, that you have to work a lot to achieve your goals and this is what I did for the last 3 years.
My company, Muay Thai Combat, is not just an ordinary company that buys and sells Muay Thai equipment, it's a company that works in Muay Thai world at 360 degrees. In the last year I organized a seminar with Giorgio Petrosyan with record attendance in Europe (over 637 athletes), Muay Thai Combat Fan Expo, the first real Muay Thai Expo in Europe, and now a new challenge that is Yokkao Extreme. I suppose that Yokkao has seen how much passion I put in what I do and asked me to arrange for them this big event. How could I say no?
MTA: You are a very talented model did that help in anyway as you moved into the promotion business?
Stefania: Being good-looking helps a lot in what else you do. The important real thing is what you do in order to maintain your position and how to improve it. I assure you that my good looks are not relative right now.
MTA: You are only twenty five years of age, that has to make you the youngest promoter of an event of this caliber. Do you feel any pressure because of that?
Stefania: Age is just a question of numbers. Who decides that a number instead of another is the right one to do something? I know that I'm young, luckily, but I'm also convinced that you never stop learning so I continue along the road that I have chosen for me.
MTA: There are not many females in the Muay Thai promotional business. Do you feel you might be under pressure to perform because of this?
Stefania: I suppose it might be, a female in a male world is not simple. However I'm working to gain the trust of the people by showing them what I can do.
MTA: As far as Muay Thai goes when did your interest in the sport begin?
Stefania: My Thai origin helps me a lot, I'm really lucky to be half Thai and half Italian because I get the best from two cultures. I know how Thai people think, I respect them in the way foreign people can't understand but at the same time I get Italian manners, the positive ones.
Muay Thai is the national sport in Thailand such as football in Italy. Who better then me, half Thai and half Italian to lead Muay Thai in Italy.
MTA: What are your plans and goals for Yokkao Extreme?
Stefania: Yokkao Extreme is a very big challenge that will keep me busy until the end of the year. Actually I'm working on this plan but the most important goal I had, I already reached it. Bring into Italy an event never seen before, a great fight that lots of people are waiting for. Now I just have to work on it in order to realize something really unique.
MTA: You are having the big fight between Buakaw and Dzhabar, how did that fight come to fruition?
Stefania: Thanks to Yokkao Boxing. Buakaw Por. Pramuk and Dzhabar Askerov are two of their sponsored fighters. Lots of people are waiting for the re-match of them and they decided to do it and give me the possibility to organize this event.
MTA: You definitely came out making a statement when you announced Buakaw vs. Dzhabar for your event in Milan, Italy and that it would not be happening in California as previously thought. Were you worried that such an announcement could stir up any negative backlash?
Stefania: I knew that this match might take place in the U.S.A. but I also knew that the broadcast information that was not 100% sure can be a "double edges sword". Buakaw Por. Pramuk will fight in L.A. but not vs. Dzhabar Askerov. About negative backlash I think, the one fastest is the one that wins.
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