A source involved in the planning of K-1's international expansion has informed Beyond Kickboxing that their New York event is in jeopardy.
Originally slated for either May 19th or June 22nd, K-1 was looking to book The Theater at Madison Square Garden in hopes of finding the next great American heavyweight kickboxing talent. The winner of three grueling fights in a single night would have earned his ticket to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 8 on December 14 in Tokyo, Japan.
An important caveat that went unnoticed: New York state legislation apparently won't allow multiple fights in a single night. A circumstance that must have changed in recent years, as GLORY Kickboxing made its way to the Big Apple as far back as 2013 to hold multiple one-night tournaments.
Whether K-1's American expansion plans have been foiled or merely postponed and possibly relocated to a state with more lax combat sports regulations – only time will tell.
