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K-1 in Hong Kong
By Zach Arnold | June 14, 2007
The promotion announced today that they will run the Asia World-Expo Arena on July 29th in Hong Kong, with Badr Hari defending the K-1 Heavyweight title. Also scheduled on the show: Remy Bonjasky, Choi Hong-Man, Musashi, Yusuke Fujimoto, Hiraku Hori, Nicolas Pettas, Randy Kim, and many other South Korean fighters.
The inclusion of Hong-Man’s name on the list is interesting because Armando Garcia stated on Sherdog radio that he did not want to see Hong-Man participate elsewhere in fighting (unless he filed for an appeal with the CSAC and was successful) due to failing medical requirements to fight on the K-1 Dynamite event.
K-1 announced a return date to Las Vegas on August 17th. Plus, Sankei Sports is reporting that we may see the K-1 return of Bob Sapp against Peter Aerts on June 24th in Holland.
Topics: K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
What the heck is wrong with Armando Garcia? Does he think that the CSAC rules the entire freaking world? Someone seems to have a complex.
All in all, K-1 in Hong Kong is, to me, pretty much the same as them doing shows in Seoul and Tokyo. When they reach mainland China is when the real fireworks are going to start. How is K-1 going to go over with a Communist regime in say Shanghai or Beijing?
The NSAC and other commissions have previously suspended indefinitely/revoked fighter licenses for people that fought while under medical suspension (I think ‘Cabbage’ was suspended or revoked in NSAC as he fought shortly after his medical suspension elsewhere). Afterall, what’s the point of being medically suspended by a commission if the suspension is not effective anywhere else? We don’t need more fighters with health issues (Tommy Morrison, Joe Mesi, etc.) risking their lives and/or the lives of others because they go to a ‘Wild West’ state, commission-wise. If anything, there’s needs to be more accountable on this aspect, I think.
The real problem is there was no reason for Garcia to suspend him for having a tumor on his pituitary gland. That’s how people get that freaking big unless they are a hereditary giant and there aren’t many of those. I’m guessing Nicolay Valuev wouldn’t be able to fight in Cali either. Garcia seems to think his job is more meaningful than it really is.
What I am saying though is that jurisidiction, which is the matter at hand, does not extend beyond one’s own limits, i.e. the state in which the matter was handled. Having studied international law, I have come to realize that nations and supra-national organizations have a hard enough time enforcing laws regarding different countries (Law of the Sea, etc.) as well as multi-national organizations such as the United Nations. Heck, even getting three countries to agree upon and then follow the laws of a trade agreement (NAFTA) is nigh difficult at times…and that is regarding things that really matter that effect the entire population. Now to think that the ruling of a state athletic commission in California should have any bearing or original jurisdiction outside of its own state border…outside of the home country, and into that of a another special administrative region (which is what Hong Kong is) is laughable. This is the definition of someone “overstepping their boundaries”
Of course no other state or country has to listen to the medical suspension of the CSAC. The thing is, though, that it is in the best interest of preventing serious injury or death, most (somewhat) regulated states and countries will tend to at the very least review the decision of the other commissions. If they disagree with the assessment, they can let the guy fight, but if they agree, they can keep it going. At the very least, they should consider the suspensions placed in other states.
I honestly don’t see a problem with a commissioner saying “I don’t think fighter X should be fighting anymore because of reason Y.” Afterall, do you want to see another Douglas Dedge situation where a guy who was virtually banned from fighting in the U.S. due to a pre-existing medical condition (in his case, blackouts) went to a country where it was a ‘Wild West’ situation and ended up dying from a relatively weak series of strikes because of the condition? I would rather see more unified medical suspensions/reviews globally than to let guys go to a lawless place in defiency of any reasonable medical judgment, get killed in the ring or cage and then the sport gets blamed for their own idiocy.
I guess we’ll see if California holds it against K1 and not just Hong Man Choi.
Tomer, I would love to see a global fight network where there would be one standardized set of rules and regulations and medical suspensions. The problem I had with Armando Garcia was that he, to me at least, seemed to believe that his ruling extended beyond the state of California….that it is was global in its legality and ruling. I’m sure he can say whatever it is that he want to about anything.
I think Armando knows his ruling does not extend beyond America, but he would like others to review his reasonings why he choose not to license the fighter. And I said it before and will say it again, why are so many mma fans crying that if/when a mma fighter dies in the ring/cage, it could be the end of the sport but bitch/moan when a athletic commission takes the precautionary measures to limit the chances of a death occuring. I just don’t get it.
“The real problem is there was no reason for Garcia to suspend him for having a tumor on his pituitary gland. That’s how people get that freaking big unless they are a hereditary giant and there aren’t many of those. I’m guessing Nicolay Valuev wouldn’t be able to fight in Cali either. Garcia seems to think his job is more meaningful than it really is”
Yeah, the tumor is also the reason they die at a relatively young age.
Well said Mr. Watt.
In LA, Chio went to other hospitals to check that out again. He went to 2 different hospitals and both of doctors who checked Choi said pretty OK for fighting. In fact, What I heard is that one of them is regarded the best doctor in this field, treating gigantism. He even said he could go to LA Colosseum if that could help Choi.
Choi submitted those new medical certificates to CSAC and requested a new examination again but was refused. What he heard from Mr.Garcia was “there’s no way for us to give you the right to fight here now.”. He also said even if there had been a mistake that would be corrected after K-1 show is over.(reportedly June 23th)
In the hospital, which CSAC appointed as a official one, there was no MRI machine that could fit Choi’s head because it is very big. But CSAC made choi take it anyway and Choi failed at the medical test even if the film was not very clear one.
Although Choi is just a green guy in MMA, he’s been fighting in K-1 for more that 2 years. And even before, he competed in Korean traditional style wrestling competition(called Ci-rum) for so many years. This Ci-rum organization is very official and national one in Korea. If Chio had that kind of serious problem, he couldn’t have competed in there for that many years.
Hong Kong the home of the Kung Fu movie and Bruce Lee should have had top rated Kickboxing and MMA events years ago.