Jahfarr Wilnis (37) replaces Nordine Mahieddine in Glory’s first heavyweight tournament. Mahieddine lost to Felipe Micheletti on Saturday and has opted out of Glory 85 on April 29. The winner of the four-man tournament will challenge Antonio Plazibat for an interim title and qualify for the Glory Grand Prix in December.
Wilnis fights against Tariq Osaro (27) in the semifinals. The Dutch Surinamese is a trusted name in kickboxing with almost fifty professional matches. His last fight with Glory was last November, when he won by unanimous jury decision against Michael Blawdziewicz.
The other semi-final in Rotterdam Ahoy is between Luis Tavares and Enver Sljivar. In addition, Glory has entered a fight outside the tournament between light heavyweights Mohamed Amine and Michael Duut. The 26-year-old Amine makes his Glory debut against the experienced Duut (33).
The winner of the four-man tournament will fight for the interim heavyweight title with Antonio Plazibat at Collision 5 on June 17. The winner of that fight will fight for Rico Verhoeven’s championship belt when ‘The King of Kickboxing’ recovers from his knee injury after the summer. In addition, that winner qualifies for the eight-man tournament in December, the annual Glory Grand Prix in the style of the K-1.
Tavares
The most notable name in the four-man tournament in April is Tavares. The 31-year-old Rotterdammer has a home game in Ahoy, in his first appearance since his suspension after using a prohibited substance. He is (for now) making the step from the light heavyweights to the heavyweights.
Tavares says his suspension was due to a ‘man’s ailment’, without wanting to specify. “I had no bad intentions,” he says. “I come from a dark place. I was on a pedestal before it happened and had everything up my sleeve. Now I look ahead again. It was a tough period and now I feel like getting rid of everyone, also to put something right with myself.”
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