COLLISION 2 - BADR HARI VS RICO VERHOEVEN - 2019
Press Conference HIGHLIGHTS - Official GLORY press release video!
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It didn’t take long for tempers to flare when heavyweight rivals Rico ‘The King of Kickboxing’ Verhoeven and Badr Hari shared the stage at today’s official GLORY: COLLISION 2 Pre-Fight Press Conference in Utrecht, Netherlands.
The pair took to the stage in front of nearly one hundred members of the press to discuss their upcoming rematch at GLORY: COLLISION 2 at the Gelredome football stadium in Arnhem, Netherlands on Saturday, December 21.
Their first fight, in December 2016, ended in the second round when Hari sustained an arm injury and was unable to continue. Fans clamored for a rematch ever since and now, nearly three years on, it’s finally about to happen.
Asked for a prediction on how the rematch will play out, Verhoeven didn’t see any prospect of it going the allotted five round distance.
“I am gonna be in the ring and I’m gonna perform the best I can,” he said. Either way, he is going to quit or he’s going to get knocked out. That’s what’s going to happen 21st December.”
The comment drew an immediate response from Hari. Addressing the audience he said, “I was waiting for that… he can go f-k himself, I’m going to knock him out!”
Both fighters were united though when it came to the importance of the fight.
“It’s maybe one of the biggest fights in my career because I am really looking for legacy, I am looking for eternal glory, not for just this win. So as a fight, It’s maybe the biggest of my career. It was very hard for me to accept [the loss]… I am happy for him but three years later, its gonna end, because I am going to show people his real level,” said Hari.
Verhoeven remarked: “Everything is on the line - your legacy, everything you trained for every day. Your blood sweat and tears are in this sport. When you lose, it doesn't only hurt physically but mentally.”
Opening the press conference, GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik revealed that the previously-sold out Gelredome had now been reconfigured to allow extra seating sections to be opened up.
Several thousand new seats across all price points have now been made available, giving a second chance to fans who had failed to secure one of the 22,000 tickets initially sold for the year-end event.
“We worked very hard with the municipality, the arena and our team to make that happen. We are hoping that everyone who wants to come is able to come and there are tickets now available in multiple price categories so there should be something for everybody,” he said.
With GLORY: COLLISION 2 already set to smash national and European records for gate and attendance at a kickboxing event, the newly-released tickets are the last chance to join fans who are flying in from as far afield as New Zealand, Japan and the USA to be part of a landmark event in combat sports history.
Zelaznik also announced the signing of three new partnerships for GLORY: COLLISION 2 - Ubisoft video game franchise Rainbow Siege Six, Netherland’s gaming chain Jack’s Casino and muscle recovery specialists PowerDot - before welcoming the two main event fighters to the stage.
As the two fighters came on stage, the contrast between Hari’s laid-back leisurewear and Verhoeven’s tailored suit jacket served as a visual metaphor for the differences between them. The two then fielded questions on how those differences will be settled on December 21.
Release: Glory Kickboxing press
Shortcut Fightnews, Alise Telimi