Photo via PJ Roca/ Glory/ Lana/ Jon Martone
Alistair Overeem discusses Rico Verhoeven Glory title fight
Alistair Overeem returns to the world of kickboxing for a Glory heavyweight title bid against Rico Verhoeven. It all goes down on October 23rd from GelreDome in Arnhem, Netherlands.
Overeem last donned the big gloves in December 2010. Over a decade ago, he became the K1 World Grand Prix champion in the process.
Now Overeem eyeballs additional kickboxing accolades in the form of a Glory Kickboxing heavyweight championship.
Alistair Overeem was the Strikeforce titleholder as well as Dream world heavyweight champion prior to his UFC jump where he finished Brock Lesnar. Overeem was subsequently an Octagon fixture from that December 2011 debut up until earlier this year.
The Demolition Man resumes a kickboxing campaign that saw him pivot from the sport riding a five-fight winning streak.
The first two bouts saw him score back-to-back first-round knockouts to advance to the GP quarterfinals. Overeem would then garner a unanimous decision and consecutive first-round TKO’s thereafter to cement himself as 2010 K1 Grand Prix champion. A streak that saw him best Tyrone Spong, Gokhan Saki, and Peter Aerts, respectively.
I spoke with Overeem ahead of this title bid in his return to kickboxing.
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The excerpt from our interaction at the Collision 3 press conference is below.
Alistair Overeem
Such an amazing career in kickboxing, facing guys like Remy Bonjasky and Peter Aerts…What are your thoughts on Rico in terms of how he ranks among some of those opponents you’ve fought?
“I think he’s gonna be better than both. I think he’s gonna be the best kickboxer I’ve ever faced. Of course, in size a little bit bigger than all the others. Maybe not Semmy Schilt. But I never fought Semmy Schilt. Also, when I look at his technical and tactical moves. I think he’s the best kickboxer I’ve ever fought.”
