Results and Recap: Glory 5

Glory 5 took place yesterday in London, England and it did not disappoint. In the night’s main event Tyrone Spong took on Kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky. In the second round of their bout a right hook from Spong floored Bonjasky and ended the bout. It was a spectacular knockout for the hard hitting Spong who expressed interest in fighting Daniel Ghita, Gokhan Saki or Semmy Schilt next.

In the night’s co-main event Jordan Watson out pointed Steve Moxon to take home a unanimous decision victory. Watson was a step ahead of Moxon the entire fight and won his second fight under Glory.

UK super star Liam Harrison was surprisingly knocked out with a body shot by Mosab Amrani. Harrison and Amrani are two of the top fighters in their weight class word wide. It seemed like typical Harrison when the bout started as he began to work his patented leg kicks, but as Amrani closed the distance with some punches a left hook connected and ended Harrison’s night.

Road to Glory tournament winner Dustin Jacoby was stopped in his bout with Michael Duut. Jacoby was knocked down three times in the first round and under the Glory three knockdown rule the bout was stopped.

American Eddie Walker was defeated by Steve Wakeling in the second round. Wakeling from the start off the fight began to attack Walker’s leg with kicks. He scored a knocked down due to leg kicks in the opening round and ended the bout in the second round with leg kicks.

 

Photo Credit: Ben Pontier/GLORY

Full Results:
Tyrone Spong def. Remy Bonjasky via KO (Right Hook) at 2:02 of Rd. 2
Jordan Watson def. Steve Moxon via Unanimous Decision
Albert Kraus def. Warren Stevelmans via Unanimous Decision
Steve Wakeling def. Eddie Walker via KO (Leg Kicks) at 1:38 of Rd. 2
Danyo Ilunga def. Stephane Susperregui via KO (knee) at 0:21 of Rd. 2
Michael Duut def. Dustin Jacoby via (T)KO (3 Knockdowns) at 2:25 of Rd. 1
Mosab Amrani def. Liam Harrison via KO (Body Punch) at 1:20 of Rd. 1
Daniel Sam def. Jaideep Singh via Unanimous Decision.
Johann Fauveau def. Constantin Pasniciuc via Unanimous Decision
Reece McAllister def. Tim Thomas via Unanimous Decision
Jonatan Oliveira def. Nicola Gallo via Unanimous Decision
Marlon Hunt def. Andrei Manzolo via Decision
Chad Sugden def. Sam Wilson via Decision
Kerrith Bhella def. Sam Omomogbe via Decision
Boris Uhlik def. Fraser Weightman via Decision

Eddie Walker talks upcoming fight with Steve Wakeling at Glory 5

Eddie Walker (@EddieShowtime) will be fighting his toughest opponent to date at Glory 5 this weekend when he faces Steve Wakeling from the UK. Known as one of the top 3 light heavyweights in the world Wakeling is considered a heavy favorite going into the bout with Walker. Despite most thinking Walker has no chance; confidence is something Walker doesn’t lack. Muay Thai Authority caught up with Eddie to talk about the upcoming fight against Wakeling.

MTA: Big fight against Steve Wakeling coming up. How does it feel to be called upon to fight one of the best fighters in the world at this weight class?

Eddie: It feels great! Fighting the best is the only way to truly test yourself.

MTA: You just competed in the Road to Glory tournament and now you are fighting at Glory 5, any new improvements made to training camp?

Eddie: No not at all. My coach has been in Tokyo with Brian Stan for his UFC fight, so I've just been staying in shape until he came back and now that he is back, we just picked up where we left off.

MTA: Wakeling is considered a heavy favorite, how do you like the under dog roll?

Eddie: It doesn't bother me. Stats are stats, but you still have to get in the ring and fight. I'm very confident in my training and my coach, so I just go and fight and try to perform at my best.

MTA: You are going to be fighting in his backyard, is there any mental preparation that you do when getting ready to fight someone on their territory?

Eddie: When fighting in someone's hometown you have to tell yourself that there is no way you will win if the fight goes to the judges. For me to win this fight, I will have to knock him out or win by TKO. There is no other choice.

MTA: You are known for putting your opponents to sleep. Are you going into this fight with the intentions of knocking Wakeling out or is simply getting the win your goal?

Eddie: Getting the win is my goal, but the only way that is going to happen is if I finish the fight before the judges get to turn in their score cards.

MTA: This fight is Kickboxing rules, so no elbows or clinches. Do you think that plays more towards your style of fighting since Wakeling is known for his Muay Thai?

Eddie: I would say that it's going to make the fight very interesting. He has very powerful kicks and I'm sure he has been working his hands for this fight, so we will see what happens.

MTA: What is your biggest advantage going into this fight?

Eddie: I have nothing to lose. He has a ton of pressure on him and he is in his hometown. He has to perform at 100% no matter what.

MTA: Any words for your supporters Eddie?

Eddie: I just want to thank everyone for there support. It has been a crazy year and I appreciate all the kind words and the opportunities that have been presented to me. No matter what happens in this fight, you will not be disappointed.

Tyrone Spong talks upcoming fight with Remy Bonjasky at Glory 5

Tyrone Spong will be returning to the Kickboxing ring after making his MMA debut in 2012. Spong will be fighting Kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky at Glory 5 in London. Muay Thai Authority caught up with Spong to discuss the upcoming bout with Bonjasky as well as his future plans for his career.

MTA: Tyrone you are coming back to Kickboxing after making your MMA debut, how excited are you to be fighting a legend like Remy Bonjasky?

Tyrone: I'm very excited. This fight is a challenge for me and I want to stay active in both sports, so the opportunity to fight Remy is perfect for me right now.

MTA: When you started in Kickboxing was Remy someone you looked up to, and who were the fighters who drew your interest as a young Kickboxer?

Tyrone: I watched his fights along with other recognizable fighters in kickboxing when I was young. I know Remy and always respected him for his talents.

MTA: How has training for this fight gone?

Tyrone: It's going very well. I have really strong training partners and coaches. I'm ready at any second to fight and I like the feeling of being in training.

MTA: Can we get a prediction on the outcome of your fight with Remy?

Tyrone: Of course I believe I'll win the fight and I'd like to do it by knockout in the early rounds.

MTA: Which is more difficult to rain for, an MMA fight or for a Kickboxing bout?

Tyrone: Training is training. You get out of it what you put into it, so for me, training is very hard for both sports. I make the most of my time in the gym and I never give less than 100%.

MTA: Do you plan on competing in both MMA and Kickboxing or will you only focus on one eventually?

Tyrone: For right now, I will continue to compete in both sports. I'm also training with one of the best boxing trainers in the world, so I have thoughts of testing my skills in boxing as well. I'd love to be the first fighter to succeed in all three sports.

MTA: You are known for your vicious knock out power, are you coming into this fight with the intention of knocking Remy out, or is victory the only thing on your mind and if it is by knockout that is just a bonus?

Tyrone: Anytime you get a knockout it's a bonus of course. I am always ready to go for the kill, so I expect to end the fight rather than letting it go to the judges.

MTA: Any words for your supporters?

Tyrone: Thank you for all the love. When I make a statement on March 23 I know you'll be watching. This is not one you want to miss.

Remy Bonjasky talks upcoming fight with Tyrone Spong at Glory 5

Remy Bonjasky will be fighting Tyrone Spong at Glory 5 in London on March 23. The Kickboxing legend will look to keep the hard hitting Spong from making him another of his knockout victims. Bonjasky was kind enough to answer a few questions for Muay Thai Authority about his upcoming bout with Spong and his recent return to action.

MTA: Remy you have big fight in London against Tyrone Spong. How is your training going for this fight?

Remy: My training is good not perfect but good.

MTA: When you train for a fighter with Tyrone's power is your focus more on defense and not letting him land any clean strikes or is it more about implementing your offensive attacks on him?

Remy: I train on both but I need to work and look at my own power.

MTA: What advantages do you feel you hold in this fight over Tyrone?

Remy: He has been fighting the whole time since I have been away.

MTA: What would you consider to be Tyrone's biggest asset in the ring?

Remy: Maybe his power and the age difference.

MTA: You returned to action after nearly three years on in late 2012, how have you felt since your return to the ring?

Remy: It feels good to be back in the ring. It' feels like home.

MTA: You are a legend in the sport and you accomplished so much, how much longer do you plan on continuing to fight?

Remy: I don't know yet we will see after this fight.

MTA: Before you permanently call it a career, is there anyone you would like to fight again or that you have never fought before?

Remy: No I fought every one so I don't miss anyone.

MTA: Any words for your supporters?

Remy: See you soon for a spectacular fight in London. Lots of love to you all.

Eddie Walker set to face Steven Wakeling at Glory 5 in London

Glory has announced via Twitter that the UK's Steven Wakeling will now be fighting America's Eddie Walker (@EddieShowtime) at Glory 5 in London on March 23rd. Wakeling was originally announced to be fighting Simon Marcus (@SimonMarcusNo1), but with Marcus signing on to fight Artem Levin (@ArtemLionLevin) a week before at Lion Fight 9, it was pretty clear that bout would not happen.

Wakeling was last in action when he fought to a controversial draw against Artem Levin. Many felt that Wakeling had one the bout and questions about one of the judges score cards surfaced to add to the controversy. Walker was in action in "Road to Glory" middleweight tournament a few weeks back in California. Walker won two bouts on the night to make it to the tournament final where he lost to Mike Lemaire. This will easily be the biggest fight of Walker's career and a win would catapult him to international status.

Steve Wakeling vs. Simon Marcus, Albert Kraus vs. Andy Ristie and six other bouts added to Glory 5

Glory has announced their full fight card for Glory 5. The event which is set for March 23rd in London, England had three bouts already confirmed. Remy Bonjasky vs. Tyrone Spong, Liam Harrison vs. Mosab Amrani, and Jordan Watson vs. Steve Moxon were already official and had fans buzzing. Eight additional high level fights have been added including Steven Wakeling vs. Simon Marcus, Albert Kraus vs. Andy Ristie, and Reece McAllister vs. Tim Thomas to name a few.

The 11 bout fight card will definitely have fans buzzing, below you can read the full press release from Glory.

Highly-anticipated first meeting of heavyweight icons headlines GLORY’s star-studded, 11-bout UK debut with UK’s best Kickboxers on hand

Plus:

Jordan Watson vs. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Moxon

Liam Harrison vs. Mosab Amrani

Albert Kraus vs. Andy Ristie

LONDON, England (Jan. 9, 2013) - Tickets for the highly-anticipated GLORY 5 London: Spong vs. Bonjasky star-studded kickboxing event, taking place at Excel Arena on Saturday, March 23, go on sale Friday, January 11 via Ticketmaster.

Tickets, priced from £45, can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by telephone at 0844 847 2543.

Headlined by a heavyweight showdown between superstars Remy Bonjasky (77-15, 40 KO’s) and Tyrone Spong (68-6-1 42 KO’s), the first-ever GLORY show in the UK brings together a host of additional icons for the most stacked kickboxing card ever to grace a British venue.

“When GLORY decided to stage a show in London, we knew we would have to put together a special card for the British capital. Fans have wanted to see a fight between Remy Bonjasky and Tyrone Spong for some time, but the two have never met in the ring - until now,” says Marcus Luer, GLORY CEO.

“Bonjasky is an idol to fight fans around the world and Spong has been on a steady rise to the top - he’s a fighter that everybody is talking about right now. They are both incredible athletes with explosive power. Bonjasky’s flying knees and Spong’s hands are capable of stopping a fight in an instant. Don’t blink.”

Known as ‘The Flying Gentleman’, the 1.93 meter/6-foot-3, 108 kilogram/238 pound Bonjasky is a household name among kickboxing fans. His illustrious career has seen him win numerous top honors, including three K-1 Grand Prix championships, but this will be the first time that British fans have the opportunity to see him fight live.

One of the most athletic fighters ever to step into the ring, Bonjasky has provided some of the most enduring images of the sport with his flying knee attacks and wide range of dynamic kicks. Among his career achievements are wins over superstar rivals Badr Hari, Peter Aerts, Alistair Overeem and Jerome LeBanner.

Like Bonjasky, Spong, a native of Amsterdam who recently relocated to Boca Raton, Fla. to train with the famed ‘Blackzilians’ fight squad, is a stellar athlete. The 1.88 meter/6-foot-2, 103.5 kilogram/228 pound Spong started his career as a middleweight and has retained his speed and fluidity while gradually moving up to heavyweight.

With explosive power in his hands, nearly two-thirds of Spong’s wins have been by stoppage, including his June KO of the legendary Aerts, also a three-time winner of the old K-1 Grand Prix tournament series. Prior to moving up to heavyweight, Spong held the light-heavyweight (95 kilograms/210 pounds) title in top European organization It’s Showtime, which GLORY purchased in October 2012.

Jordan Watson (29-5-1, 14 KO's) and Liam Harrison (67-13-2, 38 KO’s), two of the best kickboxers the UK has ever produced, will both see action on the card. Hailing from the Bad Company gym in Leeds, England, they have fought all over the world and have been among the few foreigners to find success in the fighting rings of Thailand.

Harrison faces Mosab ‘Jaguar’ Amrani (48-7-4, 14 KO’s), a Dutch-Moroccan fighter who combines ferocity with exceptional technicality, in a featherweight bout (65 kilograms/143 pounds). Amrani’s skills will provide the toughest test of Harrison’s career to date. Watson faces an equally tough test in the shape of Australia’s ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Moxon (29-4-1, 16 KO's), a KO machine with a sky-high finishing ratio, in a lightweight contest

In other action on the star-studded, 11-bout GLORY 5 London kickboxing card, all-time great

Albert Kraus (66-16-3, 39 KO’s), winner of the first ever K-1 MAX tournament, will face the sensational Andy Ristie (43-2, 16 KO’s) in a bout that will help determine a top lightweight (70 kilograms/154 pounds) contender.

Light-heavyweight (95 kilograms/209 pounds) Bonjasky protégé Danyo Ilunga (41-4, 34 KOs) will make his UK debut against top French talent and fellow power striker Stephane Susperregui (32-4-1, 27 KOs) in a fight that is very unlikely to go the distance.

All GLORY 5 London bouts are comprised of three, three-minute rounds. The complete fight card is as follows:

Heavyweight

Tyrone Spong (Suriname) vs. Remy Bonjasky (Netherlands)

Lightweight

Andy Ristie (Suriname) vs. Albert Kraus (Netherlands)

Light-Heavyweight

Stephane Susperregui (France) vs. Danyo Ilunga (Congo)

Featherweight

Liam Harrison (UK) vs. Mosab Armani (Morocco)

Lightweight

Jordan Watson (UK) vs. Steve Moxon (Australia)

Light-Heavyweight

Raymond Daniels (USA) vs. TBC

Heavyweight

Singh Jaideep (UK/India) vs. Yong Soo Park (South Korea)

Middleweight

Steve Wakeling (UK) vs. Simon Marcus (Canada)

Welterweight

Maxim Vyrovski (Russia) vs. Duoli Chen (China)

Lightweight

Johann Fauveau (France) vs. Warren Stevelmans (South Africa)

Catchweight

Reece McAllister (UK) vs. Tim Thomas (UK)

About GLORY:

GLORY World Series (www.gloryworldseries.com) is the world's new premier kickboxing league, producing live events across the globe and offering up to $1,000,000 in prize money to the winners of one-night, 16-man ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments, which are open to only the best fighters in each weight class. The fight series also includes 8-man ‘Slam’ tournaments and events with traditional, single bouts.

With television deals spanning every continent, online live video streaming of all shows and the world's largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world's most widely distributed sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in the UK, Holland, Tokyo, Malaysia, Singapore and soon in the USA. Its personnel include an unprecedented mix of accomplished entrepreneurs and senior level executives from the diverse worlds of finance, sports marketing, television and martial arts fighting.

Glory 5 adds Harrison vs. Amrani and Watson vs. Moxon

Glory 5 is already set to feature a main event bout between Kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky and hard hitting Tyrone Spong. The event will take place in London, England anb will also feature two of the UK’s best fighters. Liam Harrison will be in action against Mosab Amrani and Jordan Watson will be taking on Steve Moxon.

Harrison vs. Amrani should be an exciting fight from start to finish as both fighters are fairly aggressive. Both fighters have been competing against top tier competition as of late and this fight is no different for either fighters.

Watson vs. Moxon will feature two up and coming talents. Watson has made his name fighting some of the best in the Muay Thai world, while Moxon has fought some great fighters mainly in his home country of Australia.

Bonjasky vs. Spong rescheduled for March 23, 2013

Glory recently announced Remy Bonjasky vs. Tyrone Spong for Glory 5 in February, but the bout has now been rescheduled for March 23, 2013. Bonjasky will be fighting in the Glory 4 - Tokyo Grand Slam at the end of December and the decision was made to allow Bonjasky time to recover and train properly according to Glory. In the official press release from Glory they state that they want to allow Bonjasky time to rest after the 16-man tournament in Tokyo and have a proper training camp. You can read the full press release from Glory below.

REMY BONJASKY vs. TYRONE SPONG MOVES TO MARCH

BONJASKY TO HAVE FULL FIGHT CAMP FOLLOWING NEW YEAR’S EVE TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION

London, England (Nov. 23, 2012) - The highly-anticipated showdown between Remy Bonjasky (76-14, 40 KO's) and Tyrone Spong (68-6-1 42 KO’s) will take place on Saturday, March 23 at the Excel Arena in  London, England, it was announced today by Glory Sports International (GSI), parent company of the Glory World Series.

The bout had previously been set for February 16 but with Bonjasky being set to participate in the GLORY 4 - TOKYO: GRAND SLAM 16-man mega-tournament on New Year’s Eve, it was decided that February would potentially be too soon for him to get back in the ring. He will now have several more weeks to recover from his tournament bouts and get in peak condition for his first-time meeting with Spong.

“Remy was more than happy to take part in the tournament and then fight again in February,” explains GLORY Chairman Pierre Andurand. “But this is the first time that he and Spong will have fought and there was such huge interest in the match when we announced it that we decided to move the date and give him some time to rest up. It means that he and Spong will be in peak condition when they face each other.”

Marcus Luer, Managing Director of GLORY, added, “The worldwide interest in Spong vs. Bonjasky has been absolutely huge. Within literally minutes of it being announced we were inundated with requests for tickets and broadcast details.

“With this fight being of such magnitude to fans worldwide, we want both fighters to be at their absolute best for this historic first meeting. They now have a few extra weeks to sharpen their weapons for what is expected to be a truly classic encounter.”

'The Flying Gentleman' Bonjasky is a household name among kickboxing fans and this will be the first time that British fight fans have the opportunity to see him fight live. One of the most athletic fighters ever to step into the ring, Bonjasky's flying knees and kicks have provided some of the most thrilling images of the sport and helped propel him to victory in three Grand Prix tournaments in the old K-1 fight series.

An eye ailment forced a temporary retirement on him for nearly three years but, after undergoing surgery, the 1.93 meter (6-foot-4), 108 kilogram (240 pound) fighter was ready to put the gloves back on. Last month he made a triumphant return with a decision win over Brazil’s top heavyweight, Anderson 'Braddock' Silva.

Amsterdam native Spong, who recently relocated to Boca Raton, Fla. to train with the famed 'Blackzilians' fight squad, is a world-class athlete. Standing 1.88 meters (6-foot-2) and weighing 103.5 kilograms (228 pounds), he started his career as a middleweight and has retained that speed and fluidity as he has moved up through the weight classes to heavyweight. With explosive power in his hands, nearly two-thirds of Spong's wins have been by stoppage, including his June KO of legend Peter Aerts.

Tickets for the March 23 event will go on sale soon and the full card will be announced in the near future. The headliners are supported by a stellar card which includes two of the UK’s top talents taking on strong international opposition.

Jordan Watson (29-5-1, 14 KO's) and Liam Harrison (67-13-2, 38 KO's), of the Bad Company team in Leeds, have carved their reputations in the fighting rings of Thailand and around the world. In March, Watson will face the Australian knockout machine ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Moxon (29-4-1, 16 KO's) while his team mate Harrison faces the Dutch-Moroccan technician Mosab ‘Jaguar’ Amrani (48-7-4, 14 KO's).

Matches for Glory 4 Heavyweight GP set

The heavyweight tournament bouts for Glory 4 are set. The event which will take place on December 31, 2012 in Tokyo will feature a 16-man one night tournament. As Glory has proven in recent events, most of the top talent is under their promotion. Semmy Schilt, Anderson Silva, Remy Bonjasky, Errol Zimmerman, Daniel Ghita, Peter Aerts, Gokhan Saki and Rico Verhoeven will all be in action.

The rules for the tournament will be a bit different than a regular bout. The first three rounds of the tournament will feature an open scoring system with two minute rounds. With the open scoring system if a fighter is clearly ahead on points after the second round there will be no need for a third round and he is declared the winner of the bout.

The finals of the tournament will feature regular Glory rules with three rounds of three minutes each, there will also be two extra rounds if necessary.

Glory 4 HW GP Matches:
Semmy Schilt vs. Brice Guidon
Rico Verhoeven vs. Sergei Kharitonov
Raomoru vs. Gokhan Saki
Igor Jurkovic vs. Anderson Silva
Filip Verlinden vs. Remy Bonjasky
Jamal Ben Saddick vs. Errol Zimmerman
Mourad Bouzidi vs. Peter Aerts
Fabiano Aoki vs. Daniel Ghita

Bonjasky, Spong, Harrison, Watson, Moxon, and Amrani all in action at Glory 5 in February

Glory (@Glory_WS) will head to England in February and it has a stacked card planned for Glory 5. With only three bouts confirmed it’s already considered stacked and any additional bouts would seem like a bonus. The night’s main event will feature Kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky (@RKBonjasky) vs. the hard hitting Tyrone Spong (@Tyrone_Spong). Also on the card will be Liam Harrison (@LiamBadco) vs. Mosab Amrani and Jordan Watson vs. Steve Moxon.

Glory continues to put on some of the best if not the best cards in the international fight scene when it comes to Kickboxing. Read the full press release from Glory below.

HEAVYWEIGHT KICKBOXING SUPERSTARS
TYRONE SPONG AND REMY BONJASKY COLLIDE IN
GLORY 5 LONDON MAIN EVENT
FEBRUARY 16, 2013

HISTORIC FIRST MEETING HEADLINES BIGGEST KICKBOXING CARD EVER STAGED IN THE UK

UK LIGHTWEIGHT STANDOUTS
JORDAN WATSON AND LIAM HARRISON TO SEE ACTION
ON THE CARD

London, England (Nov. 19, 2012) – Heavyweight superstars Remy Bonjasky (77-14, 40 KO’s) and Tyrone Spong (68-6-1 42 KO’s) will collide in the main event of GLORY 5  London at the British capital’s Excel Arena on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013.

Also confirmed for the kickboxing mega-card are lightweight (70 kilograms/154 pounds) British standouts Jordan Watson (29-5-1, 14 KO's) and Liam Harrison (67-13-2, 38 KO’s). Both have tough tests ahead of them - Watson faces the hard-hitting ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Moxon of Australia (29-4-1, 16 KO’s) while Harrison faces the aggressive Moroccan lightweight Mosab ‘Jaguar’ Amrani (48-7-4, 14 KO’s).

Tickets for the event go on sale in December. Pricing and vendors will be announced in the coming weeks.

‘The Flying Gentleman’ Bonjasky is a household name among kickboxing fans and this will be the first time that British fight fans have the opportunity to see him fight live. One of the most athletic fighters ever to step into the ring, Bonjasky’s flying knees and kicks have provided some of the most thrilling images of the sport and helped propel him to victory in three Grand Prix tournaments in the old K-1 fight series.

An eye ailment forced a temporary retirement on him for nearly three years but, after undergoing surgery, the 1.93 meter (6-foot-4), 108 kilogram (240 pound) fighter was ready to put the gloves back on.

At GLORY 2 Brussels on Oct. 6, he made a triumphant return with a decision win over No. 1 ranked Brazilian heavyweight Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva. Bonjasky demonstrated superior conditioning and reflexes in the fight, showing his rivals that all the old magic is still there.

Like Bonjasky, Amsterdam native Spong, who recently relocated to Boca Raton, Fla. to train with the famed ‘Blackzilians’ fight squad, is a world-class athlete. Standing 1.88 meters (6-foot-2) and weighing 103.5 kilograms (228 pounds), he started his career as a middleweight and has retained that speed and fluidity as he has moved up through the weight classes to heavyweight.

With explosive power in his hands, nearly two-thirds of Spong’s wins have been by stoppage, including his June KO of legend Peter Aerts.  Spong was the last reigning 95 kilogram (210 pound) champion in world championship kickboxing league It’s Showtime which GLORY purchased in October.

“This is a dream fight that kickboxing fans around the world have been wanting to see for some time. Bonjasky is one of the sport’s all-time greats and anybody who watched him fight in Brussels could see immediately that he was as sharp as ever. He had the same dynamic fighting style that earned him tremendous success and acclaim in the sport before he went on hiatus three years ago,” said GLORY Managing Director Marcus Luer.

“As for Spong, his speed and technicality are just amazing. He is unbelievably agile for a heavyweight and he makes fighting look like ballet. He also has plenty of power and a real killer instinct, which we saw in his win over Peter Aerts earlier this year. Bonjasky and Spong are two of the most natural athletes the sport of kickboxing has ever seen. They are going to thrill the London fight fans in February.”

GLORY Chairman Pierre Andurand remarked, “I live in London and I am very proud to be bringing these two world-class fighters to the British capital. Bonjasky and Spong are at the top of their games right now and the winner will take a step closer to a shot at the GLORY heavyweight title.”

Both fighting out of the Bad Company gym in Leeds, England, Watson and Harrison have carved out solid reputations on the international Muay Thai circuit and have a legion of fans in their native northern city. Watson made his GLORY debut in November with a win over Mustapha Haida of Belgium.

Harrison is a four-time world champion in kickboxing and Muay Thai. He has faced elite Thai champions such as Saenchai Sor Kingstar and Anuwat Kaewsamrit and has competed extensively in Thailand with some of the nation’s top fighters. Among the titles Harrison has held are the prestigious WAKO and WMC belts, the latter being arguably the top honor in the Muay Thai world.

Additional matchups for GLORY 5 London will be announced soon. Visit www.gloryworldseries.com for more information.

About GLORY:

The GLORY World Series ( www.gloryworldseries.com) is the world's premier kickboxing, or stand-up fighting league, staging events across the globe and offering up to $1,000,000 in prize money to the winners of 16-man ‘Grand Prix’ tournaments, which are open to only the best fighters in each weight class.  The fight series also includes 8-man tournaments and events with traditional, single bouts.

With television deals spanning every continent, plus a groundbreaking online video streaming system and the world's largest online martial arts library, GLORY is one of the world's most widely-broadcast sporting organizations.

Owned and operated by Glory Sports International (GSI), the organization has offices in Holland, the UK, Tokyo, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Its personnel includes a diverse mix of award-winning hedge-fund and private equity investors; principals from pioneering sports marketing agency Total Sport Asia; and senior level executives from several leading sports franchises, including WWE, FIFA, Golden Glory, Champions League and It's Showtime.

Contact:
Mike Afromowitz and Gala Klyuchkina - press@gloryworldseries.com