Mike Zambidis

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Mike Zambidis
Μιχάλης Ζαμπίδης
Full name Michális Zambídis
Nickname Iron Mike,
Zambo
Nationality Flag of Greece Greece
Date of birth July 15, 1980(1980-07-15)
Place of birth Athens, Greece
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 5+12 in)
Weight 70 kg (154.3 lb/11.0 st)
Style Kickboxing
Team Mega Gym
Trainer Sozos Panagiotis
Years active 10 (1997-present)
Kickboxing record
Total 65
Wins 54
By knockout 39
Losses 11
By knockout 3
Other information
Official site

"Iron" Mike Zambidis (Greek: Μιχάλης Ζαμπίδης; born July 15, 1980) is a professional Greek kickboxer born in Athens, Greece. He is currently the World Kickboxing Federation super-welterweight kickboxing world champion[1] while also competing in the K-1 Max fighting circuit [2], the Final 8 of which he reached four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007).

Contents

[edit] Career

Mike Zambidis started training in martial arts before he was nine years old with his brother Spiros Zambidis and his best friend Lazaros Filipas. He has trained in Shotokan, Kickboxing, Boxing and Muay Thai [3]. He started competing professionally in 2000, scoring a string of victories over notable opponents. So far, the majority of his wins have been knock-outs. He has been technically knocked out twice himself early in his career, but since 2002, his only technical knock-out defeat was in 2008 against Andy Souwer after a controversial extra round combat. Mike won a controversial fight over John Wayne Parr, however he was impressive against Krongsak Lek, Billy Mamu, and Shannon Forester.

In Europe, Zambidis has defeated notable kickboxer Jenk Behic twice, Gurkan Ozkan twice, Wanlop Sosathopan, Bakari Tounkara, Matteo Sciacca, Petr Polak. In 2002, he knocked out the strong and experienced[4][5] Dutch-Morrocan Hassan Kassrioui.

In 2003, promoter Tarik Solak arranged Zambidis' debut fight in Japan against 2002 World K-1 Max Champion Albert Kraus, whom he knocked out in the 2nd round. In April 2005, Zambidis knocked out with a right hook the popular Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, in front of thousands of the Japanese kickboxer's fans. Zambidis' only weakness seems to be receiving low kicks, as was shown in his 2006 defeat by Japanese Yoshihiro Sato, who, despite getting hurt by Zambidis' punches, managed enough "kicks [to] rack up enough points to secure a unanimous decision"[6].

[edit] Titles

  • 2006 Kings of the Ring European Champion
  • 2005 WKBF Super-welterweight Champion
  • 2005 King of the Ring Champion, Sydney, Australia
  • 2004 A1 World Combat Cup Champion
  • 2003 Kings of the Ring Champion, Italy
  • 2002 K-1 World Max Oceania Champion
  • 2002 Kings of the Ring Champion, Thai Boxing tournament Italy
  • 2000 WOKA World Champion
  • 1998 World PROFI Europe Champion
  • 1997 I.S.K.A. Balkan Champion
  • 1996 Greek Boxing Champion

[edit] Kickboxing record

54 Wins (39 (T)KO's, 15 Decisions), 11 Losses
Date Result Opponent Event Method Round Time
07/07/2008 Flag of the Netherlands Albert Kraus K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 8, Japan
04/09/2008 Loss Flag of the Netherlands Andy Souwer K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 16, Japan Ext.R KO (Left high kick) 4 2:05
03/03/2008 Win Flag of Australia Daniel Dawson No Respect 4, Melbourne, Australia Decision (Split) 5 3:00
12/09/2007 Win Flag of Spain Bernardo Marban De La Horra Urban Fighters, Athens, Greece KO (Right hooks) 3 1:05
10/03/2007 Loss Flag of Ukraine Artur Kyshenko K-1 World MAX 2007 World Championship Final, Japan Decision (Ext.R) 4 3:00
06/28/2007 Win Flag of Armenia Gago Drago K-1 World MAX 2007 World Tournament Open, Japan Decision (Ext.R) 4 3:00
04/04/2007 Win Flag of Japan Kozo Takeda K-1 World MAX 2007 World Elite Showcase, Japan Decision 3 3:00
09/04/2006 Win Flag of Japan Tatsuji K-1 World Max 2006 Champions' Challenge, Japan Decision 3 3:00
04/05/2006 Loss Flag of Japan Yoshihiro Sato K-1 World Max 2006 World Tournament Open, Japan Decision 3 3:00
03/12/2006 Win Flag of the Czech Republic Michal Hansgut Great Kickboxing Spectacle in Athens, Greece Decision 3 3:00
02/04/2006 Loss Flag of Thailand Buakaw Por. Pramuk K-1 Japan MAX 2006, Japan Decision 3 3:00
11/07/2005 Win Flag of Turkey Kara Murat No Respect 3, Melbourne, Australia Decision 3 3:00
10/12/2005 Win Flag of Japan Satoru Suzuki K-1 World Max 2005, Japan KO 2 1:17
07/20/2005 Loss Flag of Japan Masato K-1 World Max 2005 World Tournament Final, Japan Decision 3 3:00
06/05/2005 Win Flag of Turkey Kara Murat WKBF Professional Title Gala Decision 3 3:00
05/04/2005 Win Flag of Japan Norifumi Yamamoto K-1 World MAX 2005 World Tournament Open, Japan KO (Right hook) 3 0:39
03/12/2005 Win Flag of Croatia Goran Borovic Greece and Serbia Fight The World, Sydney, Australia Decision 5 3:00
02/20/2005 Win Flag of Papua New Guinea Stanley Nandex Kicker V Boxer Melbourne, Australia KO 1
10/13/2004 Win Flag of Japan Kojiro K-1 World MAX 2004, Japan KO (Punches) 1 2:21
11/28/2004 Win Flag of New Zealand Prince Hamid A-1 World Combat Cup Tournament, Melbourne Decision 3 3:00
11/28/2004 Win Flag of Turkey Gurkan Ozkan A-1 World Combat Cup Tournament, Melbourne Decision 3 3:00
11/28/2004 Win Flag of Australia Pete Spratt A-1 World Combat Cup Tournament, Melbourne KO 2
07/07/2004 Loss Flag of Japan Takayuki Kohiruimaki K-1 World Max 2004 World Tournament Final, Japan Decision 3 3:00
04/07/2004 Win Flag of Japan Hayato K-1 World MAX 2004 World Tournament Open, Japan Decision 3 3:00
11/30/2003 Win Flag of Turkey Gurkan Ozkan No Respect 2, Melbourne, Australia KO 12
07/05/2003 Loss Flag of Japan Masato K-1 World MAX 2003 World Tournament Final, Japan Decision (Split) 3 3:00
05/17/2003 Win Flag of Thailand Wanlop SitPholek Kickboxing Superstar XII, Milano, Italy Decision 5 3:00
03/01/2003 Win Flag of the Netherlands Albert Kraus K-1 Japan MAX 2003, Japan KO 2 0:16
02/18/2003 Win Flag of Finland Niklas Winberg K-1 No Respect, Melbourne, Australia KO 3
12/08/2002 Win Flag of Australia Jenk Behic World Super Welterweight Title, Melbourne, Australia KO 6
11/26/2002 Win Flag of Australia John Wayne Parr K-1 Oceania MAX 2002, Melbourne, Australia Decision 3 3:00
11/26/2002 Win Flag of Australia Jenk Behic K-1 Oceania MAX 2002, Melbourne, Australia KO 3
11/26/2002 Win Flag of Papua New Guinea Billy Mamu K-1 Oceania MAX 2002, Melbourne, Australia KO 2
05/19/2002 Win Flag of Morocco Hassan Kassrioui Kickboxing Mania, Athens, Greece KO 6
03/02/2002 Loss Flag of France Alain Zankifo Le Grand Tournoi, Paris, France TKO (Doctor stoppage) 3
11/11/2001 Loss Flag of Australia Mike Cope K-1 Oceania MAX 2001, Melbourne, Australia TKO (Referee stoppage) 1
09/08/2001 Win Flag of Australia Shannon Forrester World Super Welterweight Title, Gold Coast, Australia KO 3
09/01/2001 Win Flag of Australia Paul Shearing World Super Welterweight Title, Sydney, Australia KO 1
04/03/2001 Win Flag of Thailand Krongsak Lek World Super Welterweight Title, Australia TKO 8
11/19/2000 Win Flag of Australia Baris Nezif K-1 Oceania Star Wars 2000, Melbourne, Australia KO 12

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Iron" Mike vs "Super Turk" Murat. www.greekcity.com.au. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
  2. ^ "Mike's Profile". www.hellenicathletes.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
  3. ^ BloodyKnux interview, 2007
  4. ^ "IronLife"
  5. ^ "Fighting Master"
  6. ^ MMA Ring Report

[edit] External links