The K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Taipei takes place on Sunday at the World Trade Center in Nangang. No local competitors have entered the Grand Prix section, which will be held in Taiwan for the first time.
The man to beat is 2007 K-1 World finalist Ruslan Karaev, who’ll enter the ring in quarterfinal action against the relatively unknown Tatsufumi Tomihira. Aleksandr Pichkunov, another favorite, first faces Japan’s Nobu Hayashi.
The K-1 World GP ‘08 Asia Final is an eight-man elimination tournament. Bouts are contested under K-1 rules, with each consisting of three, three-minute rounds.
The winner of the Taipei elimination tournament will go on to compete in the Asia K-1 Final Elimination Grand Prix, scheduled to take place in Seoul on Sept. 29. Winners from that competition will head to the K-1 World GP elimination rounds in Osaka, from which eight winners will go on to compete in the K-1 finals in Tokyo at the end of the year.
K-1 combines elements of kung fu, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo and other martial arts, with many of the fights ending in a knockout.
Up-and-coming talents participating in the Taipei elimination-round bouts include Young Hyun Kim (South Korea), Saiseelek Nor-Seepun (Thailand) and Zhang Qing-jun (張慶軍, China).
Complimenting the Grand Prix action are three K-1 Superfights.
The K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Taipei will be held Sunday at Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall (台北世界貿易中心南港展覽館), 1 Jingmao 2nd Rd, Nangang Dist, Taipei City (台北市南港區經貿二路1號), beginning at 4:30pm. NT$1,000 to NT$8,000 tickets are available through ERA ticketing. Detailed information can be found at www.k-1.co.jp/k-1gp/top858.htm.
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