Emil Zoraj

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Emil Zoraj
Born Emil Zoraj
(1978-07-17) July 17, 1978
Other names Bulldog
Nationality Croatia Croatian
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb; 12 st 6 lb)
Division Light heavyweight
Style Muay Thai
Team Mejiro Gym (2001-2006)
Spartan Gym (2006-)
Trainer Andre Mannaart (2001-2006)
Aleksandar Pupac (2006-)
Years active 1993-
Kickboxing record
Total 45
Wins 37
By knockout 20
Losses 8

Emil Zoraj (born 17 July 1978) is a Croatian Light heavyweight kickboxer fighting out of Zagreb, Croatia. In his career he was double WKA thaiboxing world champion, It's Showtime 75MAX trophy Tilburg tournament champion, WBC Muaythai intercontinental champion and OPBU Euro-African muaythai champion.[1]

Career

He started training in 1993 only kickboxing, but also tried Savate and Full Contact. He started Muay Thai when he came to train with Branko Cikatić, and did it untill then. He achieved good results in amateur competition, European gold and silver medalist with two bronze medals on World championships. He scored few knonckout wins, with Marko Žaja, in Italy. [2]

In 2001 he went in Netherlands to train with Andre Mannaart in Mejiro Gym. He made good progress, and participated in a gala tournament, scoring win over Sahin "Kaas" Yakut and losing in the final. He left Mejiro Gym after the rise of Remy Bonjasky, as he attracted all gym's atention.[2]

Emil Zoraj first attracted worldwide attention making It's Showtime debout, winning It's Showtime 75 MAX Trophy Tilburg Pool B on December 12, 2005 in Tilburg, Netherlands. He defeated two Dutch fighters, Rayen Simson in semi finals and Sem Braan in final and qualifyied for It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Final 2006 tournament.[2]

On October 12, 2005 at Steko's Fight Night 17 he became World Kickboxing Association Thaiboxing world champion -83 kg defeating Jiri Bursa, next year also on Steko's Fight Night he won his third title and became World Kickboxing Association Thaiboxing world champion -76 kg defeating Adam Chajkin.[3]

On September 23, 2006 he participated in a It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Final 2006 tournament in Rotterdam, losing in quarter finals to Joerie Mes.

He won his fourth and fifth title on April 20, 2008 in Vienna, Austria defeating Otta Merling and becaming WBC Muaythai International Super Middleweight and OPBU Euro-African Muaythai Champion. Zoraj took the initiative since first round, earning a knockdown in second round with right cross and leaving vissible mark on Merling's head with an elbow in third.[4][5]

He won bronze medal at IFMA 2009 World Muaythai Championships -75 kg category in December, 2009 defeating Remy Vectol in 1/8 finals and beating one of the best Muaythai fighters, Artem Levin bringing him one of very few career loses. He lost to tournament champion, Dmitry Valent by points, surviving nose injury in first round. He later suffered two amateur loses to Artem Levin.[6][7][8][9]

Since winning WBC Muaythai and OPBU titles, Zoraj scored valuable victory against Myauthai legend Kaoklai Kaennorsing in Brno, Czech Republic and fought mostly in his homeland Croatia until 2010 when decided to withdrew from the competition.[10][2]

He returned to the fighting on March 15, 2012 in Zagreb, Croatia at K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 Final, where he was expected to fight Miran Fabjan then Giannis Sofokleus, but both were replaced and he fought Edmond Paltatzis. Zoraj's comback was tough as he survived two knockdowns in first round, but achieved victory at the end of second round with a knee to the body of Paltatzis.[11]

Later in the year he achieved victories at Final Fight Championship 4 over young Croatian prospect Zlatko Bajić and in Vienna on September 21, 2013 over Shkodran Veseli.[12][13][14]

Titles

  • 2008 WBC Muaythai International Super Middleweight (-76 kg/168 lb) Champion
  • 2008 OPBU Euro-African Muaythai Champion -76 kg
  • 2006 WKA Thaiboxing world champion -76 kg
  • 2005 WKA Thaiboxing world champion -83 kg
  • 2005 It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Tilburg Pool B Champion
  • MTA European Champion
  • 3 x IMTA European Thaiboxing Champion

Fight record

Professional kickboxing record
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
2013-09-21 WinAlbania Shkodran Veseli Fight Night Vienna, Austria Decision (split) 3 3:00
2013-05-10 WinCroatia Zlatko Bajić FFC04: Perak vs. Joni Zadar, Croatia Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00
2013-03-15 Win Greece Edmond Paltatzis K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 Final, Super Fight Zagreb, Croatia KO (knee) 2 3:00
2010-04-10 Win Slovakia Miro Skriban Return of the Gladiators Dubrovnik, Croatia KO (liver kick) 1
2010-02-07 Win Serbia Nikola Petrović Bilić-Erić security FIGHT NIGHT IV Zagreb, Croatia Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00
2009-12-23 Win Bosnia and Herzegovina Stanisvav Šahić Borilački spekatakl za udrugu Svjetlost Zadar, Croatia KO (knee)
2009-10-16 Win Thailand Kaoklai Kaennorsing Return of the Gladiators Brno, Czech Republic Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2009 Win Turkey Senol Kiziltas [15] TKO 1
2008-05-24 LossMorocco Najim Ettouhlali Gentleman Promotions Fightnight Tilburg, Netherlands TKO
2008-05-20 Win Turkey Aydin Tuncay Trg u Plamenu Zagreb, Croatia TKO (left high kick) 2
2008-04-20 Win Slovakia Otta Merling Fight Night - Mortel Kombat Vienna, Austria Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
Wins the WBC Muaythai International Super Middleweight (-76kg/168lb) Championship, and OPBU Euro-African Muaythai Championship.
2007-10-27 Loss Suriname Tyrone Spong One Night in Bangkok Antwerp, Belgium TKO (doctor stoppage) 4 1:02
2006-09-23 Loss Netherlands Joerie Mes It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Final 2006, Quarter Finals Rotterdam, Netherlands Decision 3 3:00
2006-05-02 Win Czech Republic Adam Chajkin Steko´s Fight Night 19 KO 3
Wins WKA Thaiboxing world title -76kg.
2006-03-18 Win Poland Kamil Gregorczyk Steko´s Fight Night 18 KO 1
2005-10-22 Loss Belarus Dmitry Shakuta SuperLeague Heavy Knockout 2005 Vienna, Austria Decision 3 3:00
2005-10-12 Win Czech Republic Jiri Bursa Steko's Fight Night 17 4
Wins WKA Thaiboxing world title -83kg.
2005-10-02 Win Netherlands Sem Braan It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Tilburg, Final Tilburg, Netherlands Decision 3 3:00
Wins It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Tilburg Pool B Final -75 kg. Qualifies for It's Showtime 75MAX Trophy Final 2006.
2005-10-02 Win Netherlands Rayen Simson It's Showtime 75 MAX Trophy Tilburg Pool B Semi Finals Tilburg, Netherlands Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2004-03-06 Loss France Moussa Sissoko Kings of the Ring Priština, Serbia and Montenegro TKO (ref. stoppage) 3
For KOTR Muay Thai Championship 80kg.[16]
Amateur myauthai record
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
2013-07-25 Loss Portugal IFMA 2013 European Muaythai Championships 1/8 final(75 kg) Lisbon, Portugal Decision 4 2:00
2010-08-29 Loss Russia Artem Levin 2010 World Combat Games -75 kg Muay Thai, Quarter finals Beijing, China Decision (5:0) 4 2:00
2010-05-26 Loss Russia Artem Levin IFMA 2010 European Muaythai Championships 1/8 final(75 kg) Velletri, Italy Decision (5:0) 4 2:00
2009-12-03 Loss Belarus Dmitry Valent IFMA 2009 World Muaythai Championships 1/2 finals (75 kg) Bangkok, Thailand Decision 4 2:00
2009-12-01 Win Russia Artem Levin IFMA 2009 World Muaythai Championships 1/4 finals (75 kg) Bangkok, Thailand Decision 4 2:00
2009-11-11 Win France Remy Vectol IFMA 2009 World Muaythai Championships 1/8 finals (75 kg) Bangkok, Thailand KO (Right high kick) 2

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

See also

References

  1. ↑ Final Fight Profile
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Emil Zoraj: Želim MMA borbu". fightsite.hr. 
  3. ↑ Steko´s Fight Night - WKA-Weltmeisterschaft
  4. ↑ Emil proof his best over Otta Merling.
  5. ↑ Intervju: Emil Zoraj – novi WBC muaythai šampion u supersrednjoj kategoriji(Croatian)
  6. ↑ Peking: Ikiću srebro u Ju-Jitsi!(Croatian)
  7. ↑ Emil Zoraj brončani sa SP u Tajlandu(Croatian)
  8. ↑ Zoraj u polufinalu Svjetskog prvenstva(Croatian)
  9. ↑ Zoraj nokautirao Francuza, Mikulić ispala(Croatian)
  10. ↑ Zoraj pobijedio Kaoklaia, Stanić odradio meč večeri(Croatian)
  11. ↑ Mirko Filipović nadmudrio mladiće i osvojio K-1 World Grand Prix!(Croatian)
  12. ↑ FFC 4: Perak soccer kickovima svladao Jonija, "Terror" izmlatio "Psihopatu"(Croatian)
  13. ↑ Zoraj uoči meča : "Kako radi moj protivnik? Pa solidno, ali ne kao Emil Zoraj!"(Croatian)
  14. ↑ Emil Zoraj porazio Veselog na bodove, Shkodran se nada nastupu u Hrvatskoj(Croatian)
  15. ↑ Emil Zoraj Vs Senol Kiziltas
  16. ↑ KING OF THE RING WORLD TITLE (Kosovo)
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