Murat Direkci

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Murat Direkçi
Full name	Murat Direkçi
Nationality	Turkey Belgium
Date of birth	July 17, 1979 (1979-07-17) (age 28)
Place of birth	Antwerp, Belgium
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7+¹⁄₂ in)
Weight	179 lb (81.2 kg/12.8 st)
Style	Kick Boxing, Muay Thai
Team	Universal Gym
Kickboxing record
Total	69
Wins	58
By knockout	45
Losses	9
Draws	2
Other information
Occupation	Martial Arts Instructor
Notable students	Mesut Açıkyol, Kamal, Najat Hasnouni

Murat Direkçi (born 17 July 1979^[1], Antwerp, Belgium) is a Turkish-Belgian middle-weight kickboxer from Antwerp, Belgium. He trains at his own Universal Gym and teaches over 300 students such as Mesut Açıkyol.

1 Career
2 Personal life
3 K-1 Records
4 Titles
5 See also
6 External links
7 References

[edit] Career

Direkçi started the martial arts at the age of 15. He is trained by Jan Gooyvaers with full of competitiveness up against other students in Belgium for 9 years. After that he changed his trainer, Jan Pasztjerik from the Netherlands since 2004.

Direkçi has switched his career on top martial arts organization K-1 in 2007 with a sparkling debut against former world champion Albert Kraus in K-1 World MAX 2007 Japan Tournament which he has knocked Kraus out in the first round. This victory caused him to extend his contract with K-1.

[edit] Personal life

Direkçi is the youngest son of three siblings, originally from the Turkish city of Konya. He had a very painful upbringing, with his sister Nuray passing away at the age of 4 due to a brain tumor. After completing his primary school education, Murat studied at technical school with the intention of becoming an electrician. After a short while, he found a job as a doorman at a nightclub in Antwerp nights, and realized that it suited him better. He had found a job that he enjoyed, and subsequently ended up working there for 6 years in which time he gained a lot fighting knowledge and experience.

During this time, his elder brother Ercan took care of him while their father had a busy schedule working two shifts per day. Ercan also played the role of being his sparring mate, and was his closest friend. Ercan was also instrumental in the founding of Murat's Gym. Unfortunately, Ercan passed away in 2004 as a result of a traffic accident. He was only 29.

[edit] K-1 Records

The K-1 bout verdicts of Direkçi according to the official K-1 website:^[2]

58 Wins (45 (T)KO's, 13 Decisions), 10 Losses
Date	Result	Opponent	Event	Method	Round	Time
05/24/2008	Loss	Chaid Oulad El Hadj	Gentleman Promotions Fightnight, Tilburg, Holland	TKO (Referee Stoppage)	3
04/09/2008	Loss	Yoshihiro Sato	K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 16, Tokyo, Japan	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00
03/15/2008	Draw	Faldir Chahbari	It's Showtime Trophy MAX 75, s'Hertogenbosch, Netherlands	Decision draw	3	3:00
10/03/2007	Win	Satoruvashicoba	K-1 World MAX 2007 World Championship Final, Tokyo, Japan	KO (Left hook)	2	0:39
06/23/2007	Win	Joerie Mes	K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 in Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Holland	TKO (Referee stoppage)	1	1:40
03/24/2007	Draw	Salah Edine Ait Naceur	Fights at the Border V, Lommel, Belgium	Decision draw	3	3:00
02/05/2007	Win	Albert Kraus	K-1 World MAX 2007 Japan Tournament, Tokyo, Japan	KO (Right hook)	1	1:27
11/12/2006	Win	Ray Staring	2H2H Ahoy, Rotterdam, Holland	TKO (Doctor stoppage)
05/13/2006	Win	Fikri Tijarti	K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Holland	TKO (Referee stoppage)	3	2:10
02/03/2006	Win	Abdil Boukari	WFCA Gala in Roosendaal, Holland	Decision	5	3:00
11/13/2005	Loss	Faldir Chahbari	WFCA Thai-Kickbox Gala in Nijmegen, Holland	Decision	5	3:00
06/12/2005	Loss	Gago Drago	It's Showtime 8, Netherlands	Decision	5	3:00
04/30/2005	Win	Melvin Rozenblad	Queens Fight Night, Eindhoven, Netherlands	KO
02/28/2004	Win	Janos Szenasi	Thaiboxing Gala in Bergen, Belgium	Decision	5	3:00
01/12/2004	Win	Nadir Larecht	Fights at the Border III, Lommel, Belgium	KO	1
10/18/2003	Win	Anthony Bassnett	Gala in Deurne, Belgium	TKO	3