Post by K1power on Feb 9, 2015 13:45:10 GMT 1
Enriko Kehl wrote history in 2014, when he became the first fighter to win the prestigious K-1 World MAX Final - against none other than Buakaw. (I think they forgot to add 'German' in that sentence
)This sensational accomplishment was also acknowledged by his fans and the readers of Groundandpound.de: Kehl was voted "National Kickboxer of the Year" for the third time in a row. Kehl told us in the interview that there is a lot more to this success than just stepping into the ring and fight. Additionally, we will preview his Duel of Champions against Giorgio Petrosyan in April.
Enriko, congratulations on winning the GnP-Award. What does it mean to you to be at the top again?
Greetings dear GnP-Team, thanks for the congratulations. Of course I'm extremely happy to be awarded, because it confirms that there are people who appreciate what's behind my accomplishment. A lot of people just see your 3 or 5 rounds of performance in the ring. Most people don't realize what's involved leading up to it. The appreciation of undergoing preparation for these few rounds in the way of many torturing weeks of training, which really is a full time job (not to mention the diet that comes with it) is what makes me happy to receive this award.
This is your third award in a row, how does it stack up to the other two?
Receiving this one made me just as happy as the last two. It's great to know that the fightsportcommunity honors your Successes. So in that way this win equals the former two.
Do you intend to make this (being awarded) a habit?
Haven't I already? No, it's all in the hands of the GnP-readers and that's the way it should be. They should decide for their favorite fighter to be awarded.
How does an award decided by fans stack up to an award decided by a jury?
An award decided by independant fans means a lot more than a jury decison, especially since those aren't always fair.
Also, a Jury-decision is limited to a single fight, whereas this way a fighter can be judged over a whole year.
Of course, winning the K-1 World MAX Final must have been your highlight in 2014, or was there perhaps anything else to top even that for you, on a personal level?
Right, winning the K-1 MAX Title was my personal highlight. I mentioned in an earlier interview that it's a dream of every lightweight fighter. Whoever denies that is lying. It was a dream come true for me and I did it with a perfect team; my brother Juri, Daniel Zeuner, Marek Ljastschinskij, Michi Theilig and Sefer Göktepe. That couldn't be topped.
In a few weeks you have a rematch with Erkan Varol in Turkey. How is your training coming along?
Yes, this time I will fight Erkan in Turkey. I was able to clearly win our fight on German soil, this time he has the hometown advantage. A few weeks ago we kicked the level of preparation up a notch and I'm very motivated to step into the ring again. The team and I will be ready.
After that you're headed to your clash of the titans in April against Giorgio Petrosyan. Many view him as one of the best fighters on the planet, what's your opinion on him?
Yes, in April we're having the so-called "Battle of K-1 MAX Champions". This fight means a lot to me. It makes me proud to represent Germany in such a huge event and against such a powerful opponent. To me Petrosyan is one of the best fighters in the world as well. To be honest, I rate him even higher than Buakaw. We're excited and look forward to the fight.
Andy Ristie gave to blueprint on how to beat him. Do you see any weaknesses?
I believe that my trainers will really focus on Petrosyan's fighting style and drill that into me so we can achieve a good result. For now though Erkan Varol is on my radar and only after that will I focus on Petrosyan.
Buakaw and Petrosyan - two huge names in this sport. How big is the danger of underestimating a fighter like Erkan Varol in light of these fighters?
I think we are at a level where we can not affored to underestimate any opponent. I take Erkan Varol just as serious as I do every other fighter, just as much as Buakaw or Petrosyan.
Are there any fights scheduled already from April on out which we can look forward to?
We are in negotiations for some other fights, but for now let it be a surprise. When anything is set in stone you'll have something new to report on [laughs].
This is a question you've heard before. Anything on Glory and Enriko Kehl?
No. There is nothing new. My contract with K-1 runs until the end of this year and after that we'll see.
Original German Interview
www.groundandpound.de/thaikickboxen/archiv/news/enriko-kehl-der-gewinn-des-k-1-max-titels-war-mein-highlight/
