Joseph Valtellini talks upcoming fight with Karim Ghajji at Glory 11 in Chicago

Joseph Valtellini has taken the Kickboxing world by storm since his debut for Glory at Glory 6 in Istanbul, Turkey earlier this year. His crisp combinations of punches and leg kicks mixed with his move forward style have made him a fan favorite. Valtellini will look to reel off his third straight victory under the Glory banner when takes on Karim Ghajji this weekend at Glory 11 in Chicago. Valtellini was kind enough to take time from his busy training schedule to talk to us about his upcoming fight with Ghajji. 

MTA: Big fight coming up against Karim Ghajji. How has your training camp been going?

Joseph: Training camp went amazing for this fight. I knew for about 10 weeks that I was fighting Ghajji, so I had a lot of time to prepare. My main training partner Troy Sheridan is also fighting on the card, so it was more intense than usually. There was no such thing as light sparring because we continually wanted the best from each other.  We were both pushing each other and peaking at the same time, so I really felt that it really took both of our games to a new level.

MTA: Have you done anything different in this training camp than past training camps?

Joseph: Training camp is basically always the same. Why fix something that isn't broken. The only things that may change are specific areas of focus that my coach believes I can improve on.

MTA: What would you say is the most difficult part of training for your fights and why?

Joseph: My team and I have everything down to a science and created a routine and schedule which works really well for me. But the hardest part for me is balancing my career as a teacher and the extra demands of training. I make sure I really take advantage of my rest days.

MTA: As usual you are the underdog in experience, yet that has not held you back at all in your career. What do you think is the biggest factor in the experience gap between you and your opponents not being a factor?

Joseph: I strongly believe it's the confidence and the belief that my coaches and team have in me. If my coach says I will win, I will go in the ring with 100% confidence. Being surrounded with such supportive and positive people really helps too. Having people believe in you, and most importantly believing in yourself, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

MTA: How familiar are you with Karim; are there any holes in his game that you feel you can exploit?

Joseph: I got to watch Karim fight live at Glory 6 Istanbul against Nieky Holzken. Other than that fight, I didn't really know much about him.  After beating Murat Direkci that night, I told my coaches that I'd like to fight Karim because it would get me closer to #1. 6 months later and that fight came true. Although I may not have the experience on paper, I feel like I'm the more explosive and technical fighter. I also feel I'm better defensively.

MTA: This fight will air on Spike TV, is there any added pressure to put on a great showing knowing that millions of people will be watching this fight?

Joseph: I've been looking at this fight no different than the others. Whether there are 2 people watching or millions, when it's time for battle I'm always focused on what I have to do to be successful. It's important that I don't let other distractions influence my performance. I am excited and motivated to put on exciting fight. This is a good opportunity to showcase myself to a larger audience as well as promote GLORY and kickboxing to North America.  Glory and kickboxing is on the rise in N.A. and it's only a matter of time before it becomes as large or larger than UFC and MMA. People just need the opportunity to watch.

MTA: Both of your fights in Glory have been victories by stoppage, are we going to see a third straight stoppage from you?

Joseph: That is always the goal. A stoppage win against such an experience opponent will push me up the world ranking. I also want to make sure that I cement my spot for the welterweight tournament in Tokyo for Glory 13.

MTA: You are fighting at 170lbs which is about 5lbs more than what you started your career at. Does the 5lbs make any difference for better or worse?

Joseph: It's actually been a lot better. I was always starving my body from putting on more muscle mass. With small changes in my diet and strength program, I was able to take my strength, power and explosiveness to new levels.  I feel a big difference in my energy levels during the camp.

MTA: Best of luck Joe. Any words for your fans and supporters?

Joseph: Thank you for all the continued support. All the Facebook, Instagram and twitter likes and messages mean so much to me.  It pushes me to train harder in the gym and perform to my best ability in the ring. Make sure you follow along with this fight and my career on twitter - @bazookajoev or my Facebook Page - Joseph "Bazooka Joe" Valtellini.

The Arrival

by Nathan Aripez

 

If you are a fan of Kickboxing then you probably watched Glory 6 in Istanbul, Turkey. If you did then odds are that you witnessed the arrival of Joseph Valtellini.

A little over a year ago Valtellini was an up and coming fighter with a 5-0 record, looking to get the attention of the larger promotions. Despite being from Toronto, Ontario, Canada all of his fights had been in New York under the Friday Night Fights promotion, and he was a relative unknown outside of New York. Ever since Valtellini made the transition to the pro ranks his goal was to catapult to the top by beating the best. It all started to change for Valtellini when he scored a vicious knockout of west coast standout Shawn Yarborough at Friday Night Fights in March of 2012. It was then that people began to pay attention, but anyone hoping to get a peak at the man they call “Bazooka” would have to wait seven months to do so. With no video footage of the fight available for fans, all they knew was coming through word of mouth.

In October of 2012 Valtellini stepped into the ring under the Lion Fight Promotions banner to face Gregory Choplin. Despite Choplin having ten times the amount of fights Valtellini had, and despite Choplin having fought some of the best names in the sport, Valtellini was confident going into the bout. When it was all over Valtellini had suffered the first loss of his career. Despite losing by decision to Choplin, those who saw the young Canadian’s performance could see there was something special. He entertained the crowd with his aggressive style and, despite suffering a nasty gash over his eye, continued to press forward.

It would be a quick turn around for Valtellini as he was invited to fight at Muay Thai in America: In Honor of the King in Los Angeles, CA. This time he would be matched up with Mehdi Baghdad, a former K-1 tournament champion in France and Belgium. Valtellini would once again entertain the crowd en route to a unanimous decision victory over Baghdad. His crisp and fast combinations stifled Baghdad’s attacks, and despite being cut with an elbow by Baghdad midway through the fight, Valtellini continued to press forward. Bleeding profusely from his forehead did not slow him down, as punch-kick combinations were delivered in droves until the final bell.  It was then that, if he hadn’t caught your attention earlier, Valtellini certainly had it now.

Before his fight with Baghdad, Valtellini had heard about Glory signing North American talent.  On the night before his bout with Baghdad, he heard from Glory and their interest in signing him. Talk about adding pressure to your fight, now knowing that the biggest Kickboxing promotion is now going to be paying attention to your fight.

“I knew that Glory contacted my coach before the fight. I didn’t want to get ahead of myself and made sure to stay focused on Mehdi because I knew he was a dangerous opponent”, said Valtellini. “It was after the fight that I was really able to show my excitement for the Glory contact and of course the recent win.”

Immediately after his victory over Baghdad, Valtellini was officially on the Glory roster. Much of the North American talent that Glory was picking up were signed to fight in the Road to Glory USA tournaments, but Valtellini’s contract was to compete for Glory on the international level. They were sending him straight to the big leagues, and it was something Valtellini was more than happy to do.

“It was really important to me.  Even before I was signed with Glory, I believed and was confident that I was ready to compete at that level," said Valtellini. “When they gave me the opportunity to fight Murat in Istanbul, I really wanted to make a statement.  I wanted to show that I can compete against experienced and top international opponents. I have a lot of people around me believing in me, but the win against Murat really allowed me to fully believe in myself that I belong at this level.”

After a few months of waiting, Valtellini was finally contacted about his first Glory bout. Murat Direkci was the name he was offered and he gladly accepted. Direkci was a veteran that had defeated the likes of Albert Kraus, Gago Drago, and Chahid Oulad El Hadj all by (T)KO. He had also competed against the likes of greats like Robin van Roosmalen, Nieky Holzken, Albert Kraus, and Yoshihiro Sato. 57 of Direkci’s 68 wins had come by (T)KO, that was more wins by (T)KO than Valtellini had fights, but Valtellini was more than ready. It was what he had dreamed up since he first took up martial arts, and since his ascent up the Muay Thai and Kickboxing ladder began. Training out of Team Ultimate under the tutelage of Paul Minhas, Valtellini feels he is ready for any situation that arises and this was no different. Along with Minhas, Valtellini and devised their plan and were ready to set it into motion come fight time at Glory 6.

Valtellini arrived in Istanbul, Turkey expecting nothing more than to put on a good show on what was a pretty big card. The main event of Glory 6 featured Gokhan Saki vs. Daniel Ghita 2, a huge re-match in the Kickboxing world. On the day of the press conference Valtellini was asked to make an appearance, something he was not aware he would be doing. When he showed up to the press conference he was seated right next to one of the best heavyweights in the world, Gokhan Saki.

“Being at the press conference was an amazing experience, especially sitting at a table with 2 of the world’s best Kickboxers, the Glory CEO and Stephen Quadros.  Being at the press conference did add a little pressure, especially since I’m new on the international Kickboxing scene”, said Valtellini. “I’m sure a lot of people were wondering who I was, and what I was doing sitting beside Saki. I really wanted to put on a spectacular and dominating performance to show that I belong.”

After successfully making weight, it was fight day. According to Valtellini, mental preparation was the key, something he felt he was more than ready with. When it was time to go it was clear that the crowd was in favor of Direkci and they chanted his name in support on several occasions. Direkci came out like a pit-bull, immediately going after Valtellini looking to add another name to his knockout list. Valtellini, however, remained composed despite getting hit with a few big shots. As the opening round was winding down, Valtellini connected with a punch that sent Direkci to the canvas. In the second round, Valtellini began to take over, tilting the momentum heavily into his favor, including a spectacular head kick that Direkci never saw coming. In the third round after some heavy shots form Valtellini, Direkci’s corner had seen enough and threw in the towel.

If you didn’t know who Joseph Valtellini was before his fight with Murat Direkci, you definitely did afterwards. Valtellini was soon in the ring with announcer Stephen Quadros talking about his victory on the world's biggest Kickboxing stage, putting the exclamation point on his arrival. Not only had he collected a win under the biggest Kickboxing promotion, Glory, but his impressive win was over a seasoned veteran in Direkci.

“I had a lot different emotions (after the win). I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I was extremely happy and relieved that the fight was over and I got the outcome that I planned," said Valtellini. “This was something I dreamed about early in my career. The win still hasn’t set in, and I continually have to re-watch the fight to believe it.”

For his next fight, Valtellini will come full circle, back to where his pro career began. He will be fighting Francois Ambang, the winner of the Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament, in New York. Being back where it all started three years ago you can rest assured Valtellini will be looking to once again entertain the crowds with his blend of skill and power.

Joseph Valtellini talks about his upcoming fight against Gregory Choplin at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7

Joseph Valtellini (@BazookaJoeV) will be making his Las Vegas debut when he takes on Gregory Choplin at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7 (@LFPLasVegas) on October 13^th at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Valtellini has made his name fighting on the east coast under the Friday Night Fights Muay Thai banner and will now be looking to impress a new set of fans with his skill and power. Joseph took some time from his training schedule to answer a few questions for Muay Thai Authority about his upcoming fight.

MTA: Joseph you have the biggest fight of your career coming up at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7 against Gregory Choplin. How has training been going?

Joseph: Training has been going amazing. I haven’t competed since my bout with Shawn Yarborough in March, so I’ve had a lot of time to improve all aspects of my game.  I’m excited to be back in the ring and showcase my skill set to a new audience in Las Vegas.

Video: Joseph Valtellini talks about his KO victory over Shawn Yarborough at Friday Night Fights

Pictures: Joseph Valtellini training for Shawn Yarborough

Scott Lalonde was at Ultimate Martial Arts in Scarborough, Canada for Muay Thai Authority to capture some pictures of Joseph Valtellini training for his upcoming fight against Shawn Yarborough. On March 9th Valtellini will take on Yarborough under the Friday Night Fights Muay Thai banner in New York. Valtellini will look to keep his undefeated record (5-0) in tact as he takes on the former WBC Muay Thai national champion.

Prospect Watch: Troy Sheridan

Muay Thai has started to hit its stride in the North America in the recent years. In addition several gyms hold some very talented amateur fighters, some who have racked up a great amount of amateur experience and are now ready to start taking their skill set to the pro level. Gyms like North Jersey Muay Thai in New Jersey, Real Fighters in Kentucky and Team Ultimate in Toronto to name a few have fighters that in the future will be the next wave for North American Muay Thai. In our new series, “Prospect Watch”, we look at fighters that have recently turned pro, or started coming into their own that we expect to make names for themselves in the North American Muay Thai scene. In our first installment we highlight Troy Sheridan of Team Ultimate in Toronto, Canada.

Sheridan recently made his professional debut at the 2012 season opener for Friday Night Fights Muay Thai (FNFMT). Sheridan wasted little time getting to work as he defeated Utah’s Anthony Ford by (T)KO in the second round. Sheridan started working his leg kicks early in the fight and by the second round, Ford could no longer remain on his feet as Sheridan continued to target Ford’s leg as he looked to end the fight.

Video: Troy Sheridan talks pro debut win over Anthony Ford at Friday Night Fights Muay Thai season opener

Troy Sheridan talks about his pro debut victory over Anthony Ford at the Friday Night Fights season opener on January 20th, 2012. The fight ended via (T)KO in round two after Sheridan took Ford's legs out with kicks.

Joseph Valtellini talks about his win over Alex Berrios and his future plans

Joseph Valtellini scored one of the most important victories of his career in dominating fashion on September 23rd under the Friday Night Fights banner. Valtellini defeated Florida's Alex Berrios via (T)KO after Berrios was unable to answer the bell at the end of the second round. Muay Thai Authority recently caught up with Valtellini to speak about the win against Berrios as well as his future plans.

MTA: You recently defeated Alex Berrios and once again it was a dominant performance. Did you feel you would be able to put him away so easily?

Joseph: I knew going into this bout that Alex was a tough and skilled opponent, and he was coming off a big win against Rigel Balsimico. I trained really hard for this match and wanted to move up in the rankings and show that I deserve to be amongst the top fighters in North America. A got a bad sinus infection the week of the fight and wasn’t even sure if I was able to fight. But I didn’t want to disappoint the fans, supporters and Friday Night Fights and my Team. But I was still well prepared and confident that my hand would be raised by KO/TKO. I felt early on in the first round that the fight would end early, but I was waiting for the right opportunity.

Keys to Victory: Alex Berrios vs. Joseph Valtellini

Friday Night Fights will hold its second of back-to-back events on Friday September 23rd. The event will feature a bout between the number nine (Alex Berrios) and ten (Joseph Valtellini) ranked fighters on Muay Thai Authority's North American rankings. The winner of the bout can easily claim to be the top 165-175 lb fighter on the east coast. The bout should prove to be very exciting as it is an interesting style match-up between the very explosive Joseph Valtellini and the very technical Alex Berrios. Both fighters will have to exploit any advantage they can find in order to be victorious and each fighter will have their keys to victory.

Valtellini vs. Berrios: Collision Course

Muay Thai in North America continues to grow and there are a variety of talented fighters that will help put North America on the international map. Two of those fighters happen to be on a collision course with one another. Canada's Joseph Valtellini and Florida's Alex Berrios will stand across the ring from one another at Friday Night Fights' September 23rd event in New York. Both fighters are highly skilled and their potential is through the roof, but one will be knocked down a peg while the other will continue his rise up the ladder.

Alex Berrios vs. Joseph Valtellini set for Sept. 23rd Friday Night Fights event

Muay Thai Authority has confirmed with Friday Night Fights promoter Justin Blair that a bout between Alex Berrios and Joseph Valtellini will take place on their September 23rd event in New York. 

The match-up between Berrios and Valtellini is an exciting match-up as it features two of North America's top young talents. Both fighters were recently featured in Muay Thai Authority's piece "The future of North American Muay Thai" and both fighters are ranked ninth and tenth respectively in Muay Thai Authority's North American rankings.

Fixing the Bank with Joseph Valtellini

by Flip English

Due to logistic issues a traditional face-to-face interview with Joseph Valtellini was deemed impossible. The Canadian Muay Thai artist was hard at work in his hometown of Toronto Ontario, making final preparations for his showdown with Ben Case in New York. As one of last year's contender for North American Muay Thai Fighter of 2010, it was expected that his concentration would be with his camp members at Ultimate Martial Arts. But regardless of how the interview was conducted, what's important is that Valtellini is here and he is ready to make his mark in Muay Thai. And judging by the result of that match, it looks like he and Team Ultimate made excellent use of that time.