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29 March 2024

Dutch fighter Lazaar is a knockout champion at GFC4 in Dubai

Ismael Lazaar after being presented the prize money and the title belt after emerging victorious at the GFC 4 in Dubai on Thursday night. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Allaam Ousman

Ismael Lazaar punched and kicked his way to glory to win the fourth edition of the Global Fighting Championship (GFC) in Dubai on Thursday night.
 
The 23-year-old became the second Dutch kick-boxer of Moroccan origin to book his berth in next year's GFC Grand Prix emulating the feat of Badr Hari who won GFC3.
 
Lazaar pocketed the bonus of Dh1 million after mercilessly pounding Tai Tuivasa in the semifinal before stopping Samba Chambert Tevette in an incident-filled final.
 
"I need a vacation now. I deserve it," said the pocket-sized dynamo after extending his career record to 46 wins after emerging champion of the four-man tournament in GFC4.
 
Lazaar clinically dismantled 21-year-old Australian Tai 'Bam Bam' Tuivasa forcing his corner to throw in the towel after one minute of the second round.
 
A tournament which was steeped in controversy after French challenger Patrice Quarteron was knocked off the card for the Super Fight against Badr Hari, was plunged into suspense after Lazaar felled his opponent with a foul blow in the first round.
 
Lanky Senegalese Tevette, a last-minute replacement for the injured Melvin Manhoef in the four-man heavyweight competition, stormed into the final by outpointing flat footed Egyptian Mohammad Karim by unanimous decision.
 
He was at the receiving end of a vicious right midway in the opening round of the final from Lazaar but the referee following protests from Tevette's corner showed a yellow card to the
Dutchman.
 
Tevette was given a time-out of five minutes to help recover but he still seemed to suffer from the effects of that blow.
 
Lazaar exploded with an array of punches to the delight of the partisan Moroccan crowd at the Dubai Tennis Stadium pummelling his opponent at will to win by a knockout in the second round.
 
'Prince' Amir Shafypour, Promoter and Managing Director at Golden Cage Promotions and Events, who are the organisers of GFC4 in association with the Dubai Sports Council, promised to showcase more Moroccan fighters at GFC events to raucuous applause at the end of the show.
 
GFC chairman Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan Al Nahyan graced the occasion.
 
GFC3 champion Badr Hari raised the roof when he entered the ring for the 'Super Fight' against Arnold Obotorov. However, it lasted just two minutes 22 seconds before Hari deft slipped a swinging right kick and knocked out Obotorov with a body blow.
 
Zabit Samedov of Azerbaijan was another popular winner and featured a classic kick-boxing contest against a courageous Jafar Ahmadi from Iran.
 
Samedov showed sublime skills to land solid blows with both hands and leg against his more heavily built adversary.
 
Ahmadi fought back gamely towards the end of the opening round and took the fight Samedov in the second but lost focus after receiving a count in the final round.
 
Samedov kept his cool and nerve to score effectively and earn a unanimous decision.
 
Turkish kick-boxer Fatih Ulusoy who had Prince Naseem Hamed's brother in his corner, also impressed with his punching power though winning by a split decision against Srdan Seles in one of the undercard bouts.
 
Jamnian Srikam from Thailand exhibited his abundant skills to outclass Erkan Varol to win the five-round Muay Thai WBC Eliminator fight which was one of the features of the 10-card night.
 
Results
 
Undercard Fight Kick-boxing: Adrian Garlonta bt Davoud Ojaghi by TKO round two
 
Undercard Fight MMA: Luke Jumeau bt Mohammad Mansoori
 
Undercard Fight MMA: Ahmad Amir bt Hossein Mollamahdi
 
Undercard Fight Muay Thai WBC Eliminator: Jamnian Srikam bt Erkan Varol
 
Undercard Fight Kick-boxing: Fatih Ulusoy bt Srdan Seles
 
Four-Man Tournament Kick-boxing Semifinal:
Ismael Lazaar bt Tai Tuivasa by TKo round two
 
Four-Man Tournament Kick-boxing Semifinal: Samba Chambert Tevette bt Mohammad Karim
 
Undercard Fight Kick-boxing: Zabit Samedov bt Jafar Ahmadi
 
Super Fight Kick-boxing: Badr Hari bt Arnold Oborotov by KO round one
 
Four-Man Tournament Kick-boxing Final: Ismael Lazaar bt Samba Chambert Tevette by KO round two