| Vitaly Gurkov Вiталiй Гурков |
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| Born | Вiталiй Рыгоравiч Гурков March 27, 1985 |
| Nationality | Belarusian |
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 70 kg (150 lb; 11 st) |
| Division | Welterweight |
| Style | Muay Thai |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Minsk, Belarus |
| Team | Patriot Gym |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 97 |
| Wins | 85 |
| Losses | 12 |
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Vitaly Gurkov (Belarusian: Вiталiй Рыгоравiч Гурков; born March 27, 1985), sometimes spelt as Vitaly Hurkou, is a Belarusian welterweight Muay Thai kickboxer fighting out of Minsk for Patriot Gym. He is a seven time amateur Muay Thai world champion and is the K-1 World MAX 2010 East Europe champion currently competing in K-1 MAX.[1]
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Vitaly has been a prominent member of the Belarusian Muay Thai national team. He won his first international tournament in his teens, winning gold at the 2001 I.F.M.A. European Championships. He followed this up two years later aged just 17 by winning a gold medal in the 61 kg category at the 2003 I.A.M.T.F. World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. Between 2004 and 2008 Vitaly would win four gold medals at the W.M.F. world championships (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) along with a gold medal at the 2004 W.K.P.F. World Championships and gold at the 2006 W.A.K.O. European Championships.
In 2008 Vitaly entered the 4th Busan TAFISA World Games in Busan, South Korea which was holding the 2008 I.F.M.A. World Championship. He made the final but had to make do with silver – losing his final match to the Ukrainian Petr Nakonechnyi. He returned with a vengeance the following year winning the 2009 I.F.M.A. European Championship and the 2009 I.F.M.A. World Championship. At the world championship Vitaly defeated Marcus Öberg in the quarter finals before gaining his revenge on Nakonechnyi in the semi finals on route to winning gold. At the I.F.M.A. world championships in 2010, Vitaly made it through to the final but lost in the gold medal match, although he would win gold earlier on in the year at the I.F.M.A. European Championships in Italy. So far in his amateur career he has nine medals at World championships (seven gold, two silver) and three golds at European championships from 61 kg through to his current weight of 71 kg.
As a result of his extremely successful amateur career, Vitaly has increasingly become involved in professional competitions. In 2007 he entered the W.M.C. Brute Force 8 Judgment Day -72 kg tournament in Melbourne, Australia. Vitaly showed his amateur skills were not lost on the professional circuit, defeating Australian Greg Foley in the final to win the event. In 2008 he attempted to qualify for the "The Contender Asia" Season 2 Muay Thai reality show in Chelyabinsk, Russia. He defeated amateur rival Petr Nakonechnyi in the semi finals but lost to reigning 75 kg I.M.F.A. World Champion Artem Levin by TKO in the final. In 2009 he had more disappointment, losing in the final of the Tatneft Cup -70 kg category.
In 2010 Vitaly made his mark on the professional circuit at the K-1 World MAX 2010 East Europe Tournament on March 19 in Minsk, Belarus. He defeated his first two opponents by decision before facing Zamin Guseynov from Azerbaijan in the final. After three rounds Vitaly was crowned K-1 World MAX 2010 East Europe champion defeating his opponent by unanimous decision. This victory meant that Vitaly qualified for kickboxing’s most prestigious competition at the forthcoming K-1 World MAX 2010 Final 16. At the event Vitaly was given the toughest draw, having to face reigning K-1 champion Giorgio Petrosyan in Seoul. After three rounds Vitaly failed to cause an upset, his K-1 MAX dream finished by an unanimous decision defeat. A few weeks later he was knocked out of another high profile tournament, losing to Petchmunkong Petchfocus in the second round of the Izuzu Thai Fight Muay Thai competition.
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85 Wins, 12 Losses
Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes |
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