Gulf News

I will let my fighting do the talking, Eroglu says

TURKISH KICK-BOXER EYES TITLE AHEAD OF HIS CLASH AGAINST LEE

- BY IMRAN MALIK Assistant Sports Editor

Turkish fighter Sedar Eroglu is all set for his kick-boxing world championsh­ip title clash in the 90kg category against Spain’s Ruben Lee on Saturday, October 8. The star-studded fight night at Al Nasr’s Rashid Bin Hamdan Hall is expected to pull in a large crowd and Eroglu — who has been preparing for this contest for one year — is looking forward to getting into the ring. “I am ready for this fight and I feel I am in great shape and in good form too,” he says. “I am always prepared to fight and I am ready for this challenge. I will give it my best as I always do.”

Eroglu has competed in the UAE before in Abu Dhabi at the World Championsh­ips but this will be the first time he battles in Dubai. “I feel very comfortabl­e here in Dubai because the culture here is very similar to back home in Turkey.”

Confident of victory

Eroglu has a 28-2-1 profession­al record and has been the Turkish National champion 17 times. He is also the IFMA Muay Thai world champion and Wako Kickboxing world champion. So how does he feel the right with Lee will go? “I will win the title. I am confident. I feel very good, I am strong and I have prepared very well. I have not fought Lee before — this is the first time I will fight him. I have watched his videos and having seen his technique and style I believe I will win. I do not have to say too much — I will let my fighting do my talking for me.”

The BKK Kickboxing Championsh­ip’s 10-fight card will feature

Eroglu has competed in the UAE before in Abu Dhabi at the World Championsh­ips but this will be the first time he battles in Dubai.

20 world class fighters and multiple championsh­ip winners from around the world, as well as an exciting clash between India’s Muhammad Shuhaib and Shakeel Abdullah Chandio of Pakistan.

“BKK Sports is actually pioneering and championin­g diversity in sports, you can see from the fight card there are number of countries involved,” says Azim Ijaz, BKK Sports coordinato­r and head of legal. “We have a Pakistani fighter, an Indian fighter along with the usual fighters from Morocco, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Portugal and Spain. It is the first time fighters from India and Pakistan are fighting on this level.”

Lee is the current ISKA World Champion and has won the Europe Championsh­ip and the Spanish Championsh­ip 10 times. “I am excited to come to Dubai to have the first fight for BKK Sport,” he says. “It is a good opportunit­y for me to become a better fighter. I believe BKK Sports will become very strong in the future so it is important to have the first fight and do well in that.” He has had 98 fights and won 68 and has never lost by knockout.

 ?? Imran Malik / Gulf News ?? Ruben Lee of Spain (left) poses with Sedar Eroglu of Turkey ahead of their kick-boxing world championsh­ip fight on Saturday, October 8 at Al Nasr’s Rashid Bin Hamdan Hall.
Imran Malik / Gulf News Ruben Lee of Spain (left) poses with Sedar Eroglu of Turkey ahead of their kick-boxing world championsh­ip fight on Saturday, October 8 at Al Nasr’s Rashid Bin Hamdan Hall.

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