K-1 WORLD MAX 2024: Ouyang Feng Injured, Stoyan Koprivlenski Gets Second Chance

It has been a tumultuous few weeks for the K-1 World Max card. Two weeks ago, Luca Cecchetti pulled out of the 55 kg tournament qualifiers with a thigh injury, and today, devastating news hit again as the current K-1 Lightweight Champion Ouyang Feng announced that he had broken his rib and would not be able to fight in the tournament. Several minutes later, Stoyan Koprivlenski was announced as his replacement by K-1.

Stoyan Kropivlenski gets a shot at redemption

In the K-1 World MAX tournament qualifiers in March, Stoyan Koprivlenski, - who recently went to close decisions against Tyjani Beztati and Kaito Ono - lost in a shock upset by newcomer Kacper Muszyński after being knocked down in the final minute of the fight. He was then booked to headline the K-1 Fight Network Romania show against local star Amansio Paraschiv, but Paraschiv pulled out due to injury. So when K-1 called Koprivlenski to fill in for Ouyang Feng, he gladly accepted. He will take on a 42-year-old Buakaw, and the tournament winner will likely face Ouyang Feng next for the K-1 title.