| | | | | GAME
PLAN | | Holy salkow, Batman, Miki’s back! Yes, Japan’s very own Babe on Ice, Miki Ando, roared back to form in the opening event of the Grand Prix figure skating series, not only winning October’s Skate America competition in Connecticut, but overshadowing younger teen star Mao Asada, everybody’s current tip for greatness. Ando, of course, was panned after finishing a disappointing 15th at the Turin Olympics, but she’s lost a bit of chunkiness and taken her skating to a higher level; maybe now she will start to fulfill her promise. Next up on the calendar is the NHK Trophy from November 30 to December 3 in Nagano. Japan’s women skaters are hot right now. Catch them while you can. FV See sports listings for details.
| By
Fred Varcoe
K-1: 2003 World Grand Prix Final
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| Peter Aerts strikes Nicholas
Pettas |
One year ago, K-1 President Kazuyoshi Ishii
proudly proclaimed that the K-1 Grand Prix final had set a
Tokyo Dome attendance record of 74,500. K-1 had discovered
a new star in Bob Sapp, and the sport was beginning to get
noticed in the United States. Everything was coming up roses.
Two months later, the roses had wilted big-time. Ishii was
indicted for tax fraud based on claims that he had lost money
by trying to bring Mike Tyson to fight here. Master Ishii,
as he was known, was forced to sever his connections (at least
on the surface) with K-1 and face justice. Meanwhile, sponsors
had second thoughts about being associated with the sport.
Back in the ring, Ishii's cash cow-Sapp-was
also having problems. The 170-kilogram behemoth from the US
struggled to overcome K-1 legend Ernesto Hoost in his opening
bout at the 2002 World Grand Prix Final, and when he finally
managed it, he was so beat up he couldn't fight on.
Hoost, who some commentators say blew too many chances to
win against Sapp, went on to capture the final and take his
fourth overall crown.
But neither Sapp nor Hoost will be on hand at this year's
World Grand Prix Final at the Tokyo Dome on December 6, as
they both failed to qualify. For K-1, the fact that the biggest
name and the defending champion won't be around takes
the shine off the finale, but in terms of pure sport it gives
K-1 a little bit of credibility. And credibility is probably
what it needs.
For all his muscle, Sapp has always been a cartoon character.
Outside the ring, especially in TV commercials, that's
fine, but inside the ring his persona doesn't always
work. And with a bad eye, a bad hand and bad knees, he's
losing his (somewhat dubious) credibility as a fighter. So,
after a sad showing in the qualifiers for the Grand Prix Final,
Sapp decided, in effect, to run away to the circus, where
he'll meet former sumo grand champion Akebono-another
fighter with bad knees and a credibility deficiency-on
December 31 in Kobe. K-1 may be hoping for a new hero like
the '60s pro wrestler Rikidozan, but they're
more likely to get Akebozo when the two fighters square up.
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| Bob Sapp (left) and Akebono
strike a pose |
If credibility is going to be restored to
the sport, it will happen at the main event, not in a sideshow.
With the aging Hoost missing out on his shot at a fifth title,
Peter Aerts will be up for the challenge of securing his fourth
championship, which would match the record of his compatriot.
Aerts became the first three-time champion in 1998 and missed
out on a fourth title a year later. Since then, he's
had trouble with injuries and, at 33, is no spring chicken.
But for sheer class, Aerts is as good as they get.
Unfortunately, sheer class is not the only quality needed
to win in K-1. Brute force helps, and of all the contenders
for this year's title, New Zealand's Ray Sefo
qualifies best on that count. He should be able to steamroll
past token Japanese Musashi in the opening round before meeting
Aerts in the semifinals, if-and it's a big if-the
big Dutchman can overcome giant Belarusian Alexey Ignashov
in his opening bout. The other half of the draw features a
revenge match that pits South African Francois "The White
Buffalo" Botha against Cyril Abidi. In his first-ever
K-1 bout, Botha, a former boxing heavyweight champion, earned
a DQ for hitting Abidi while the Frenchman was sprawled on
the canvas. Whoever comes out on top meets the winner of the
Peter Graham-Remy Bonjaski fight.
No doubt, there'll be a full house at the Dome again,
and with the circus moving on, K-1 could find that all it's
got left to sell is a sport. And that won't do it any
harm at all.
The K-1 World Grand Prix Final will
be held December 6 at Tokyo Dome. See listings for details.
Photos courtesy of K-1
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