Chico Kwasi and Tyjani Beztati delivered a classic matchup as two decorated champions in the main event of GLORY 96. In the end, the judges scored it a draw and both fighters are looking to run it back.
CHICO KWASI VS. TYJANI BEZTATI
The welterweight king Chico Kwasi was looking for his first defense as the Moroccan-Dutch Tyjani Beztati aimed to make history by holding two titles in GLORY. The Dutch-Surinamese division champion opened the match with a high guard and ate some strong leg kicks from the lightweight titleholder. The 26-year-old Beztati delivered a punching flurry and added a low kick but was chased down by Kwasi who landed a few straight punches.
Beztati seemed to find success mixing in body punches but Kwasi started opening up with punches as the fight went on. Towards the end of round 2, Kwasi found a home for his right straight which led to a knockdown. It was an impressive slip and counter to line up the shot.
With a punching combination, Beztati left a mark in the third round striking around the guard of the welterweight champ, knocking his head back. Kwasi found some power punches towards the end of the round. Round 4 saw Beztati throwing a punching combo with a low kick to stop the aggression of Kwasi. The welterweight champion dashed in varied attacks and kept the pressure on Beztati. But the Moroccan-Dutch striker remained unfazed racking up punches and kicks.
‘Luffy’ Kwasi was on the hunt for a knockout in the fifth round trying with salvos of heavy punches. Kwasi went wide and Beztati was able to capitalize with a combination, the two trading heavy strikes and each man was able to land in the wild fifth round. Beztati found some overhands as Kwasi landed two powerful right straights. The two champions slugged it out until the final bell. Kwasi held on to the title but officially it was scored a draw according to the judges.
“We had a good fight,” Kwasi said in his post-fight interview, “Of course, we had a draw. We have to do it again.”
DONOVAN WISSE VS. SERGEJ BRAUN
The Surinamese athlete Donovan Wisse was well ahead on the scorecards due to a battery of leg kicks against his German-born opponent. Sergej Braun was looking to capture the middleweight crown but was unable to find an entry against the sharp striker Wisse, who was looking for his fifth title defense to tie the record set by Alex Pereira.
Germany’s Braun turned up the pace as the fight went on and found some success with spinning back kicks, but still struggled to control the match. Jabs plus inside and outside leg kicks continued to score for the incumbent champion Wise.
“He’s my friend,” Michael Boapeah had called out Wisse earlier in the night, the champion continued, "He had a great performance … I think you’re next, man." Boapeah joined Wisse in the ring and added, “I know I’m next.”
NABIL KHACHAB VS. BUĞRA TUGAY ERDOGAN
Nabil Khachab and Turkey’s Buğra Tugay Erdogan met in the heavyweight division. The Moroccan-Dutch Khachab, who is famously 5’7”, pressured and delivered impressive hooks and calf kicks, always setting up his combinations using his jab. Erdogan, in his organizational debut, struggled to mount any offense as he was unable to deal with the smothering game of his opponent. These two stayed chest-to-chest for much of their match.
“Come on Antonio Plazibat, where are you?” ‘The Tank’ Khachab called out the popular Croatian heavyweight in his post-fight interview.
MICHAEL BOAPEAH VS. MOHAMED TOUCHASSIE
Middleweights Michael Boapeah and Mohamed Touchassie threw down in what opened to be quite a slugfest. The Ghanaian-Dutch Boapeah pressured his opponent with outside leg kicks, calf attacks, jabs to the body, and uppercuts. The Moroccan-Dutch Touchassie was constantly on the back foot and struggled to find room to work against the onslaught from the ultra-aggressive Boapeah.
Mohamed Touchassie was looking to earn a knockout in round 2 as he opened with punching flurries but was thrice tripped by Boapeah. Despite the pressure, Boapeah was able to take back control of the match with a series of punches and calf kicks forcing his opponent into the corner.
As round 3 opened, it was evident that Mohamed Touchassie was struggling with the calf kicks. The Ghanaian-Dutch Boapeah exploited this with punching combinations ending with strikes to the calf. He even scored a knockdown with a calf kick against the Moroccan-Dutch striker. Touchassie limped back to his corner at the end of the fight.
“I only have one man on my list,” ‘Time Bomb’ Boapeah said during his post-fight interview, “To the middleweight champion: let’s go!”
GLORY 96
Chico Kwasi (c) vs. Tyjani Beztati – Split Draw
Donovan Wisse def. Sergej Braun – Unanimous Decision
Nabil Khachab def. Buğra Tugay Erdogan – Unanimous Decision
Michael Boapeah def. Mohamed Touchassie – Unanimous Decision
Mihailo Ćulafić def. Iliass Hammouche – Unanimous Decision
Bobo Sacko def. Dennis Wosik – Extra Round Split Decision
Ionut Iancu def. Cihad Kepenek – KO at 2:59 of R2
Ibrahim El Bouni def. Bogdan Stoica – Extra Round Unanimous Decision
Teodor Hristov def. Robin Ciric – Extra Round Unanimous Decision
Asdren Gashi def. Colin George – Unanimous Decision
Mehdi Ait El Hadj def. Soufian-Aoulad Abdelkhalek – Extra Round Split Decision
