Zavurov Crowned Champion After 'The hardest battle of my life...'
Jan 1, 2011
(PRESS RELEASE) -- Hailing from Dagastan, Russia, Shamil Zavurov is
one of Europe’s top welterweight prospects with an impressive 18-1
record and became the first-ever M-1 Challenge welterweight
champion after disposing of Spanish Catalan, Abner Lloveras in what
he considers the toughest fight in his decorated combat career.
With only a few weeks to change up his training after original M-1 Challenge XXII opponent, Tom Gallicchio, withdrew for undisclosed personal reasons, Zavurov quickly began doing homework on his new foe. “I had to totally change my training. I was watching Lloveras’ past fights very closely to learn what his strengths were and where I could capitalize during our fight.”
In what many viewed as a seemingly one-sided fight, Zavurov spoke
out and praised Lloveras for stepping in as a late replacement and
coming more prepared than he ever thought possible. “I knew that he
was a striker with the majority of wins coming by early knockout.
Naturally, I began to drag him to the ground to neutralize his
strengths. But it turns out he specially prepared to fight me on
the ground. Not only was he able to defend, Lloveras was constantly
working for submissions – armbars, triangles...”
In what was in no way an ‘easy fight’, Zavurov took the majority of the first round to feel out and test Lloveras’ reach and then began to unleash stinging outside leg-kicks began to set up takedowns; “This was a very hard battle. I beat an opponent who came totally prepared for my game plan. I focused my training camp on improving my ground skills so I could ensure I had the clear advantage,” says Zavurov.
“It was not something I expected. After the first and second rounds, I didn’t know how I could beat him. I just kept on with my plan. As the third round went on, I was getting tired and I knew that I had to make a change and start delivering power shots. That’s what I did in the fourth and I finally managed to finish him.” As the battle waged on, Lloveras attempted to establish an offensive of his own but wasn’t capable of changing the tide. At 4:27 of the fourth, with Lloveras battered and bloodied, the referee ended the bout which awarded Zavurov a TKO victory and the welterweight championship title.
M-1 Global’s welterweight division is proving to be an extremely deep pool of talented athletes to draw from with every single fighter drooling at an opportunity to make Zavurov’s reign short lived. Certainly the gritty Russian will be up to the test in early 2011 as he makes his return to the ring for a headline bout on a yet-to-be determined M-1 Challenge card.
Link to Zavurov vs. Lloveras: http://www.m-1global.com/2010/12/14/video-shamil-zavurov-vs-abner-lloveras-m-1-challenge-welterweight-title-fight/
With only a few weeks to change up his training after original M-1 Challenge XXII opponent, Tom Gallicchio, withdrew for undisclosed personal reasons, Zavurov quickly began doing homework on his new foe. “I had to totally change my training. I was watching Lloveras’ past fights very closely to learn what his strengths were and where I could capitalize during our fight.”
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In what was in no way an ‘easy fight’, Zavurov took the majority of the first round to feel out and test Lloveras’ reach and then began to unleash stinging outside leg-kicks began to set up takedowns; “This was a very hard battle. I beat an opponent who came totally prepared for my game plan. I focused my training camp on improving my ground skills so I could ensure I had the clear advantage,” says Zavurov.
“It was not something I expected. After the first and second rounds, I didn’t know how I could beat him. I just kept on with my plan. As the third round went on, I was getting tired and I knew that I had to make a change and start delivering power shots. That’s what I did in the fourth and I finally managed to finish him.” As the battle waged on, Lloveras attempted to establish an offensive of his own but wasn’t capable of changing the tide. At 4:27 of the fourth, with Lloveras battered and bloodied, the referee ended the bout which awarded Zavurov a TKO victory and the welterweight championship title.
M-1 Global’s welterweight division is proving to be an extremely deep pool of talented athletes to draw from with every single fighter drooling at an opportunity to make Zavurov’s reign short lived. Certainly the gritty Russian will be up to the test in early 2011 as he makes his return to the ring for a headline bout on a yet-to-be determined M-1 Challenge card.
Link to Zavurov vs. Lloveras: http://www.m-1global.com/2010/12/14/video-shamil-zavurov-vs-abner-lloveras-m-1-challenge-welterweight-title-fight/
