Dubai: Zabit Samedov promised he could only get better after being crowned champion against Danyo Ilunga in controversial circumstances at the end of the third edition of the Global Fighting Championship at the Dubai Tennis Stadium late on Friday.
On the receiving end of his German-Congolese opponent, Samedov went through an extra fourth round. The three minutes proved to be decisive but in favour of the fighter from Azerbaijan despite the crowd witnessing somewhat of a one-sided affair.
While judges ruled that Samedov had won by a point, a section of the crowd booed. Ilunga looked shocked and distraught as his coach and trainer remonstrated at first and then showed frustration at being denied what they saw was rightly theirs.
Samodev went on to pick up a cheque of Dh1 million and along with it the right to fight for the series-ending GFC Grand Prix for a prize pot of $1 million (Dh3.67 million).
“I didn’t know that one punch against 10 punches was so powerful. And tonight that one punch won. He [Samedov] is a technically sound fighter, but he is not a strong fighter. I know I won tonight,” a disappointed Ilunga told the crowd.
Samedov retorted: “That one punch was strong compared to the 10 you threw.” Ilunga said that the crowd had watched the fight and everyone knew who the actuall winner was. “I was denied tonight. I was the better fighter in all departments and in all rounds, but sometimes such things happen,” Ilunga nodded as he walked away.
An unfazed Zabedov said: “I am the better fighter and I’ve proved it here tonight. I have nothing to prove to him [Ilunga]. There can be just one winner and tonight the referees have decided that I was the better one in the ring. I have a long way to go and I can only get better,” Samedov said.
Earlier, Samedov had progressed by an unanimous decision against Australian Steve McKinnon while Ilunga had defeated Jafar Ahmadi of Iran.
Earlier, the two heavyweight superfights were of a contrasting nature. Two-time world champion Gokhan Saki was taken the distance by Sebastian Ciobanu, while Esmail Lazaar took less than 30 seconds in the ring after his opponent Fatih Ulusoy broke his left leg shin.
Supported by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) with sponsorship from Tampa Middle East, Grosvenor House, Zengo Restaurant, Prize Fighter, Amika Dubai, Amazing Thailand, Bong event management and Rely BTL Production and Services, the fourth round of the series is scheduled for the middle of May with Morocco’s Badr Hari lined up against Catalin Morosanu.
Presented by Golden Cage Promotion and Events, GFC-3 was part of a series of fight nights involving some of the best Mixed Martial Arts, Kick Boxing and Muay Thai exponents from across the world.
