K-1 continued their global search for the next heavyweight talent during their 'Western European Round' in the beautiful city of Sicily. With the ring located right in front of a church, this qualifying tournament will certainly go down as one of the more scenic ones. It also marks the first time a K-1-certified tournament has been held in Italy since 2008.
Heavy-hitting British fighter Rhys Brudenell emerged victorious after scoring three major knockout wins, earning himself a €20,000 check. He joins Miloš Cvjetićanin of Serbia, who won the 'Eastern European Round' in Bosnia last month, on his way to Tokyo for the K-1 World Grand Prix in December later this year.
In the quarterfinals, Brudenell faced Greek fighter Pavlos Kochliaridis. It didn't take long for the Brit to land heavy combinations against the WKN Heavyweight Champion, knocking him out early in the first round.
Brudenell then took on Samuele Pugliese in the semifinals. Although Pugliese lacked size, he made up for it in skill, having secured his spot in the second round with a solid performance over the undefeated Marcel Horvath. However, Brudenell brought both skill and size to the table, making their clash another one-sided affair. A left hook, followed by an overhand right in the first thirty seconds of the fight caught the Hungarian flush, rendering him unable to continue. A scary sight, as Pugliese, completely out of it, got back into his fighting stance even when confronted by his corner rushing into the ring.
On the opposite side of the bracket, tournament favorite Florin Ivanoaie advanced through the tournament, though not as dominantly as Brudenell. After a competitive opening round, which saw both athletes trade heavy shots at close range, it was Brudenell who again came out on top after landing a flush left hook, that send the Romanian fighter to the canvas.
