Davit Kiria

Davit Kiria (Georgian: დავით ქირია) (born February 9, 1988), also spelled as David Kyria, is a Georgian kickboxer who competes in the middleweight division. An Ashihara karate stylist, Kiria is known for mixing crisp boxing with unorthodox kicking techniques.^[1] He won the 2009 Kyokushinkai Karate Kamakura European Championship and also built up experience on the Dutch kickboxing scene before joining the Glory promotion in 2011 where he has faced some of the top fighters in his weight class.

As of 9 March, 2014, Kiria is ranked the #1 middleweight in the world by LiverKick.com.^[2]

Career

Born in Zugdidi, Georgia, and started learning Ashihara karate at age of nine in the Ashihara International Karate Organization^[3] (AIKO), Kiria later relocated to the Netherlands to train under AIKO founder Dave Jonkers at the Golden Glory gym in Zuidlaren, where he is a training partner of legendary heavyweight Sem Schilt.^[4] He began kickboxing at fifteen years old after a career in full contact karate in which he won the 2009 Kyokushinkai Karate Kamakura European Championship ^[5] of the International Budo Kai organization.^[6]

In 2008, he reached the final of the Ring Masters Olympia 2008 Welterweight Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey but lost to the great Somrak Kamsing by decision after three rounds in what was the first defeat of his career.^[7] Following this, Kiria moved up to middleweight and continued to gain experience by fighting his way through the Dutch kickboxing scene. On April 17, 2010, he competed in the Superfighters 8 Man Tournament in Frankfurt, Germany. Despite losing to Marco Piqué by an extension round decision in the quarter-finals, he was still given a slot in the semis by replacing Shemsi Beqiri who coundn't continue due to a broken nose. He was then eliminated from the competition by losing a decision to Chris van Venpoep.^[8]

After tough losses against some of the sport's most experienced fighters, Kiria finally got the break-out win of his career when he defeated the K-1 and It's Showtime veteran William Diender by decision after five rounds in Assen, Netherlands.^[9] He was then pitted against the up-and-coming Robin van Roosmalen at United Glory 13: 2010-2011 World Series Semifinals in Charleroi, Belgium on March 19, 2011, losing via unanimous decision in a "Fight of the Night" display.^[10]

Kiria then moved up to the 74 kg/163 lb weight class from his usual 70 kg/154 lb to take on one of the world's top fighters in Nieky Holzken at United Glory 15 in Moscow, Russia on March 23, 2012. He lost by unanimous decision.^[11][12]

Despite having gone 0-2 in the Glory promotion, he was included in the 2012 Middleweight Slam tournament, replacing Cosmo Alexandre to join sixteen of the world's best fighters at 70 kg/154 lb.^[13][14] The tournament kicked off in Stockholm, Sweden at Glory 1: Stockholm - 2012 Middleweight Slam First 16 on May 26, 2012 and Kiria caused a major upset by taking a unanimous decision win over Muay Thai stylist Kem Sitsongpeenong. Kem seemed uncomfortable without the use of elbows and clinching and was outboxed throughout the duration of the match. Kiria also floored the Thai star with a mawashi geri in the opening round to ensure the points victory.^[15][16]

Advancing to the tournament final eight at Glory 3: Rome - 2012 Middleweight Slam Final 8 in Rome, Italy on November 3, 2012, Kiria was drawn against Shemsi Beqiri at the quarter-finals.^[17] After an action-packed three rounds, Kiria was given the nod via split decision and headed into the semis to face eventual tournament winner Giorgio Petrosyan, who was simply too good for him and won by a unanimous points verdict.^[18][19] Despite coming back from the Glory tournament empty-handed, Kiria proved himself to be amongst the middleweight elite, and moved into the top ten in the world rankings in December 2012, coming in at #7.^[20]

He showcased exceptionable boxing skills and an impenetrable defence en route to a unanimous decision victory over Yuri Bessmertny at Glory 7: Milan in Milan, Italy on April 20, 2013.^{[21][22][23][24]}

Kiria took a unanimous decision over Murthel Groenhart at Glory 10: Los Angeles - Middleweight World Championship Tournament in Ontario, California, United States on September 28, 2013.^[25][26][27]

He rematched Robin van Roosmalen in the semi-finals of the Glory 12: New York - Lightweight World Championship Tournament in New York City, New York, US on November 23, 2013, losing a unanimous decision.^{[28][29][30][31][32]}

Replacing Ky Hollenbeck who withdrew from the fight, Kiria faced Andy Ristie for the inaugural Glory Lightweight Championship at Glory 14: Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia on March 8, 2014.^[33] He trailed to his Surinamese opponent for the first three rounds and was knocked down with a step knee in the second, but mounted a late comeback in the championship rounds and finished Ristie in the fifth to take the belt.^[34][35][36]

Championships and awards

Karate

• International Budo Kai
  • 2009 Kyokushinkai Karate Kamakura European Champion

Kickboxing

• Glory
  • Glory Lightweight (-70 kg/154 lb) Championship

• Mixed Fighting Network
  • MFN Champion

• Ring Masters Olympia
  • Ring Masters Olympia 2008 Welterweight Tournament Runner-up

Kickboxing record

Kickboxing record

24 wins (13 KOs), 8 losses, 0 draws Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time 2015-06-05 N/A Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong Glory 22: Lille - Lightweight Contender Tournament, Semi Finals Lille, France, N/A N/A N/A 2015-02-01 Win Zheng Zhaoyu Kunlun Fight 18: The Return of the King Guangzhou, China KO (Right hook) 1 2014-11-07 Loss Robin van Roosmalen Glory 18: Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA Decision (majority) 5 3:00 Losses the Glory Lightweight Championship. 2014-03-08 Win Andy Ristie Glory 14: Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia TKO (punches) 5 2:22 Wins the Glory Lightweight Championship. 2013-11-23 Loss Robin van Roosmalen Glory 12: New York - Lightweight World Championship Tournament, Semi Finals New York City, New York, USA Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2013-09-28 Win Murthel Groenhart Glory 10: Los Angeles Ontario, California, USA Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2013-04-20 Win Yuri Bessmertny Glory 7: Milan Milan, Italy Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2012-11-03 Loss Giorgio Petrosyan Glory 3: Rome - 70kg Slam Tournament, Semi Finals Rome, Italy Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2012-11-03 Win Shemsi Beqiri Glory 3: Rome - 70kg Slam Tournament, Quarter Finals Rome, Italy Decision (split) 3 3:00 2012-05-26 Win Kem Sitsongpeenong Glory 1: Stockholm - 70kg Slam Tournament, First Round Stockholm, Sweden Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2012-03-23 Loss Nieky Holzken United Glory 15 Moscow, Russia Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2011-11-12 Win Marvin Sansaar Glorious Heroes Part II Assen, Netherlands TKO (punches) 1 2011-03-19 Loss Robin van Roosmalen United Glory 13: 2010-2011 World Series Semifinals Charleroi, Belgium Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 2010-11-13 Win Ulli Schick Glorious Heroes Part I Assen, Netherlands Decision 3 3:00 2010-10-09 Win William Diender Ring Rage Part V Assen, Netherlands Decision 5 3:00 2010-04-17 Win Chris van Venrooij Superfighters 8 Man Tournament, Semi Finals Frankfurt, Germany Decision 3 3:00 2010-04-17 Loss Marco Piqué Superfighters 8 Man Tournament, Quarter Finals Frankfurt, Germany Extension round decision 4 3:00 2009-06-20 Loss Milo El Geubli Fight 058 Leeuwarden, Netherlands Decision 3 3:00 2008-00-00 Loss Somrak Kamsing Ring Masters Olympia 2008, Welterweight Tournament Final Istanbul, Turkey Decision 3 3:00 For the Ring Masters Olympia 2008 Welterweight Tournament title. 2008-00-00 Win Aydin Tuncay Ring Masters Olympia 2008, Welterweight Tournament Semi Finals Istanbul, Turkey Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

External links

• Official Glory profile

References