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Mory Kromah has successfully defended his Glory world heavyweight title. And how. The Black Ghost – born in Amsterdam, raised in Schiedam and competing under the flag of Guinea – was whistled at in Ahoy, but still got the crowd on the benches with a devastating knee on the head of Milos Cvjeticanin. Knockout.
Tim Hartman
Martial arts reporter
Watch that knee. It is what opponents of Mory Kromah have heard so often in the run-up to a match with the 26-year-old kickboxer. But Milos Cvjeticanin from Serbia was also not armed against it.
Kromah’s first bout as Glory heavyweight world champion ended on Saturday evening in Ahoy after three rounds with a knee on his opponent’s head. The kickboxer, fighting under the flag of Guinea (the country of his parents), once again presented his calling card as the successor to Rico Verhoeven during Glory Collision 9 in Rotterdam.
Kromah was booed at his entrance – of course with a mask – in Ahoy. Not only because many Serbs were present to support Cvjeticanin, but also because the world champion often talks. Something that is not always appreciated by all kickboxing fans. But yes, if you also live up to those words in the ring…
That was not the case in the first round. Fighting for a world title brings a different tension and it was noticeable. Kromah and Cvjeticanin’s performance was more like an episode Dancing with the Stars than a kickboxing match. Both kickboxers were very cautious, resulting in a lot of cheering in Rotterdam.
In the second round the two shed their trepidation a little more, with Kromah in particular starting to use his knees. At the same time, The Black Ghost remained wary of the gunpowder in the right fist of the Serbian Ninja, the nickname of Cvjeticanin who had to cancel a title match against Kromah earlier this year due to a toe injury.
But just as both men seemed to warm up, it was over. The Serbian was continuously encouraged, but that turned out to be no cure for Kromah’s devastating knee. The lights went out completely at Cvjeticanin, while Kromah took his revenge on the people who had been whistling at him all evening.
Eight-man tournament
A match earlier, Mohamed Touchassie was crowned the new light heavyweight champion. The Moroccan surprised friend and foe by winning the Grand Prix, the eight-man tournament, after impressive victories over crowd favorite Bahram Rajabzadeh, the Turk Cem Caceres and former middleweight champion Donovan Wisse.
What is it like to fight three matches in one evening? For the answer you only had to look at the battered faces of Touchassie and Wisse. The two kickboxers both started the final of the tournament with big eyes in all the colors of the rainbow.
In the end, it was Touchassie who thrilled the Moroccan fans, even before the Moroccan football players took on Brazil at 00:00 at the World Cup. Baby Badr, as his nickname is – of course a reference to Badr Hari – won the thrilling titanic battle with Wisse on split decision, which caused a huge explosion of joy.
Thanks to the victory, Touchassie can not only call himself the new light heavyweight champion, but he also already knows who his next opponent will be: Tarik Khbabez.
Khbabez? Indeed. The man who begged Glory to let him go a few weeks ago and also threatened to file a lawsuit against Glory is back at the largest kickboxing organization in the world after a reconciliation meeting.
Later this year he can immediately try to win back his light heavyweight title. That title was taken away from him earlier this year because he allegedly refused a match against Rajabzadeh. Something he always denied himself.
Return Antonio Plazibat
Glory will also have enjoyed watching Antonio Plazibat’s performance in Ahoy. The Croatian, previously tipped as the challenger for Rico Verhoeven, treated Rotterdam to a devastating knockout. In an extra round he knocked the light out of the eyes of the Moroccan Anis Bouzid with six striking punches.
Plazibat started furiously and gave Bouzid eight counts in the first round, but the lack of match rhythm seemed to break the Croat in the second round. The Croat has been plagued by injuries in recent years and has therefore only fought one match in the last three years. This is also why a battle with Verhoeven never happened.
After three rounds the pipe at Plazibat was completely empty, but the jury decided that after one draw a decisive fourth round was necessary. Bouzid seemed to be the favorite based on fitness, but in the heavyweight division everyone knows: one punch can be fatal.
Even now. Not one, but six (!) striking blows brought Bouzid to the canvas, where the Moroccan kickboxer no longer had any idea what was left and right. Plazibat won and now seems to be preparing for one last shot at the world title. A title that after tonight is still in the hands of Kromah.
Main card from 6:30 PM:
Mory Kromah – Milos Cvjetićanin | World heavyweight title
Final LHW Grand Prix | Donovan Wisse – Mohamed Touchassie
Antonio Plazibat – Anis Bouzid | Heavyweight
Mesud Selimovic – Iliass Hammouche | Light heavyweight
Semi-final 2 LHW Grand Prix | Michael Boapeah – Donovan Wisse
Semi-final 1 LHW Grand Prix: Cem Caceres – Mohamed Touchassie | Light heavyweight
Michael Boapeah – Artem Vakhitov | Light heavyweight
Luis Tavares – Donovan Wisse | Light heavyweight
Bahram Rajabzadeh – Mohamed Touchassie | Light heavyweight
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Kromah in ecstasy after victory
“I’m still the very best. The one and only: Mory ‘The Black Ghost’ Kromah,” he says shortly afterwards. By the way, he adds a big insults when he has his say. But he has big goals for himself: “I’m just getting started, I want to become one of the best ever, in the same league as Remy Bonjasky and Sem Schilt.”
Boom! Mory Kromah does it!
He works Cvjetićanin sensationally to the canvas. He delivers a devastating knockout with a pop knee! What an amazing ending. The fight started cautiously, but Kromah ends it with an action that we will see often again.
Kromah gets second round convincingly
All five judges decide in favor of the defending champion. But he must remain alert. Cvjetićanin is constantly looking at that left or right corner.
Second round ends turbulently
At the end of the second round it goes hard against hard with a few turbulent exchanges of blows. Hard to say who gets this round. Kromah is more active, but Cvjetićanin is more accurate.
Fierce left hook from Cvjetićanin
He hits over Kromah’s cover, who then immediately gives him a taste of his own medicine.
Jury comes up with surprising verdict
Four out of five judges give the first round to Kromah.
Both fighters searching in the first round
Few notable ticks. Kromah was hit a few times on his left shin, which also changed his stance. He is now in the southpaw position with his right leg in front. So the first round probably goes not after the born Amsterdammer.
Bell has sounded
Kromah and Cvjetićanin have started!
Hall heavily favors Cvjetićanin
The audience in Ahoy would like to see the Serbian win. The born Amsterdammer, who fights under the Guinean flag, is greeted with grumbling during the ring caller’s announcement.
Different format
Since this is a title fight, it will be five three-minute rounds. So two extra rounds!
Special turnout Kromah
Accompanied by the song ‘Smooth Criminal’ by Michael Jackson, the defending champion, who is also accompanied by four dancers, makes his way towards the ring. Of course he wears a characteristic mask again. Moreover, he shows that he can also dance reasonably well.
Main event approaching!
Mory Kromah (26)((37-3-1, 21 KO)who won the heavyweight title in an eight-man tournament last February, will now defend his title for the first time. Milos Cvjetićanin (32) ((19-5, 10 KO) should have already faced Kromah in the final of the Last Heavyweight Standing tournament, but then fell out injured. Unfinished business, then.
Touchassie wins!
His attacking spirit in the third round was the deciding factor for the judges, who found it difficult to agree. The 24-year-old Moroccan suffered a big cut in the first fight of the evening, but he remained calm and fought through his three fights with gusto. In the next and final fight of this fight night, Mory Kromah will soon defend his heavyweight title.
Touchassie more active in third round
The man who had stitches above his left eye after the first match was the most active in the third round. The jury has yet to decide, but everything seems to point to Mohamed Touchassie.
Wisse narrowly gets the second round
Three judges give round 2 to Wisse, so Touchassie has a minimal lead.
Wisse performs well in the second round
The Surinamese is better conditionally than Touchassie and he exploits this with a number of nice combinations. However, that doesn’t mean that Touchassie is no longer dangerous at all, because at the end of the second act he still throws a few good punches.
Touhassie wins first round
Four of the five judges rule 10-9 in favor of Touchassie. But at the start of the second round it is Wisse who has the initiative.
First round does not disappoint
The first exchange of blows was for Touchassie, then Wisse put things in order. Touchassie’s face is bleeding quite a bit again, but he will probably win the first round.
Touchassie hands out first slap!
Wisse staggers, but remains standing. Touchassie gives everything, but can’t get his opponent down. He has to be careful not to waste all his energy now.