Kawajiri-Azeredo, Ishida-Melendez at ‘Yarennoka!’
Taro Kotani Dec 6, 2007
TOKYO, Dec. 6 -- At a news conference Thursday held in Hayato Sakurai (Pictures)'s newly opened gym, the Mach
Dojo, two additional fights were announced for the Yarennoka! New
Year's Eve event in Japan.
Former Shooto welterweight world champion Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) will face Chute Boxe's Luis Azeredo. Kawajiri's teammate and former Shooto Pacific Rim champion Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) will clash with current Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez (Pictures).
DEEP representative Shigeru Saeki introduced the two fights.
"I expect Kawajiri's fight with Azeredo to be an aggressive fisticuff style," Saeki said. "It will be exciting. Concerning Ishida's fight with Melendez, it will be a war. Melendez has beaten Nobuhiro Obiya (Pictures) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) and still remains unbeaten overall."
"I finally have an opponent and feel that I am totally focused," Kawajiri said. "I want to continue training hard, get in shape, and bring it all out on New Year's Eve."
Kawajiri isn't exactly studying his Brazilian opponent.
"I have seen Azeredo's film for about two minutes," he said. "That's about it. He comes at you at full speed in every fight. I will be ready."
On the other hand, Ishida is sharply studying Melendez. "I have been watching his fight against Obiya and Kawajiri," Ishida said. "Kawajiri has a lot of DVDs of Melendez's fights, so I am planning to watch those as well."
He also added, "I was knocked out in my last fight. But the staff still organized a fight for me. I appreciate what they did for me and I want to bring out my best."
Sakurai was also in attendance. He did not have much to say but did comment on opponent Hidehiko Hasegawa (Pictures)'s submission-grappling loss at DEEP X against Lucas Lepre on Dec. 2.
"I was expecting him to win," Sakurai said, "so I am a little bit disappointed."
Saeki followed up Sakurai's comments with remarks on Hasegawa: "Hasegawa is upset that he lost at DEEP X. But having lost to the winner of this year's jiu-jitsu world championships, Hasegawa promised he will use this setback as a springboard in preparation for the fight against Sakurai."
After the fights were announced, Sakurai sweated out in a brief session of striking the heavybag, and Kawajiri and Ishida engaged in a grappling session in front of the media. The Ibaraki's trio of Sakurai, Kawajiri and Ishida showed journalists that they are in terrific physical shape.
Former Shooto welterweight world champion Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) will face Chute Boxe's Luis Azeredo. Kawajiri's teammate and former Shooto Pacific Rim champion Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) will clash with current Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez (Pictures).
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"I expect Kawajiri's fight with Azeredo to be an aggressive fisticuff style," Saeki said. "It will be exciting. Concerning Ishida's fight with Melendez, it will be a war. Melendez has beaten Nobuhiro Obiya (Pictures) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) and still remains unbeaten overall."
Kawajiri and Ishida were on hand for the news conference and said
they are excited about their fights. Both fighters have not fought
since last New Year's Eve but stated that they have no worries
since they have managed splendid training this year and made fine
use of their time out of the ring.
"I finally have an opponent and feel that I am totally focused," Kawajiri said. "I want to continue training hard, get in shape, and bring it all out on New Year's Eve."
Kawajiri isn't exactly studying his Brazilian opponent.
"I have seen Azeredo's film for about two minutes," he said. "That's about it. He comes at you at full speed in every fight. I will be ready."
On the other hand, Ishida is sharply studying Melendez. "I have been watching his fight against Obiya and Kawajiri," Ishida said. "Kawajiri has a lot of DVDs of Melendez's fights, so I am planning to watch those as well."
He also added, "I was knocked out in my last fight. But the staff still organized a fight for me. I appreciate what they did for me and I want to bring out my best."
Sakurai was also in attendance. He did not have much to say but did comment on opponent Hidehiko Hasegawa (Pictures)'s submission-grappling loss at DEEP X against Lucas Lepre on Dec. 2.
"I was expecting him to win," Sakurai said, "so I am a little bit disappointed."
Saeki followed up Sakurai's comments with remarks on Hasegawa: "Hasegawa is upset that he lost at DEEP X. But having lost to the winner of this year's jiu-jitsu world championships, Hasegawa promised he will use this setback as a springboard in preparation for the fight against Sakurai."
After the fights were announced, Sakurai sweated out in a brief session of striking the heavybag, and Kawajiri and Ishida engaged in a grappling session in front of the media. The Ibaraki's trio of Sakurai, Kawajiri and Ishida showed journalists that they are in terrific physical shape.
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