Frank Giorgi

Frank Giorgi
Born Frank Sebastian Giorgi
22 September 1981
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Other names Lo Stallone Italiano (The Italian Stallion)
Nationality Australia Australian
Italy Italian
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 70 kg (150 lb; 11 st)
Division Middleweight
Super Middleweight
Style Muay Thai
Stance Orthodox
Fighting out of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Team Matrix Gym
Five Rings Dojo
Scorpion Gym
Trainer Richard Walsh
Arslan Magomedov
Years active 2003–present
Kickboxing record
Total 55
Wins 45
By knockout 25
Losses 10
Draws 0
Other information
Occupation Stonemason
Spouse Amy
Children Frank Giorgi, Jr.
Sebastian Giorgi
Website www.frankgiorgi.com
last updated on: 14 December 2013

Frank Sebastian Giorgi (born 22 September 1981) is an Australian-Italian Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the middleweight division. Known for his boxing skills,[1] Giorgi made a name for himself domestically by becoming a two-time Australian champion before emerging internationally in 2011 when he won his first world title and reached the final of the Thai Fight 70 kg/154 lb Tournament in Thailand.

Early life

An Italian Australian and a stonemason by trade, Giorgi was born to Italian parents in Adelaide, South Australia in 1981 and raised on the Gold Coast, Queensland. He was first introduced to combat sports at the age of twelve when his uncle Frank Mesiti took him to a boxing gym in Southport, Queensland. Admittedly, he was never dedicated to boxing and, although he had a small number of amateur boxing matches, he eventually switched to Muay Thai and began fighting after six months' of training.[2]

Career

Giorgi turned professional after eleven amateur fights and lost to Ben NTG in his debut. After initially starting out training under Richard Walsh at Five Rings Dojo, where he was a training partner of Australian great Nathan Corbett, he later became a student of Arslan Magomedov at Scorpion Gym following a period of upheaval.[3] He established himself domestically by capturing both the WKN and the WMC national titles and taking wins over the likes of Eli Madigan, Bruce Macfie and Madsua. Giorgi made the pilgrimage to Thailand for the first time in 2005 and would later win the Shell Tournament at Omnoi Stadium in Bangkok.

On 9 April 2011, he rematched Bruce Macfie at Evolution 23 in Brisbane, Australia and won by unanimous decision to take the WMC Intercontinental Super Middleweight (−76.2 kg/168 lb) Championship.[4][5][6]

Following this, Giorgi was selected as a participant on The Challenger Muay Thai reality television show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which featured sixteen fighters from around the world competing for a $100,000 prize. He was eliminated at the opening stage when he lost to eventual finalist Marco Piqué on points.[7]

He was then scheduled to face the legendary John Wayne Parr for the WMC World Middleweight (−72.58 kg/160 lb) title at Evolution 24 in Brisbane on 3 September 2011 but Parr was forced to withdraw after suffering a hand injury in training and Nonsai Srisuk came in as his replacement.[8] Giorgi defeated the Thai by split decision after an entertaining, back-and-forth fight to become a world champion for the first time.[9]

Just twenty-two days later, he was back in action in the quarter-finals of the Thai Fight 2011 70 kg/154 lb Tournament in Bangkok where he outpointed Vuyisile Colossa to book his place in the semis against Abraham Roqueñi on 27 November 2011. The Spaniard hurt him twice in the second round but was unable to finish him off and Giorgi came back to steal the fight in the third, roughing up Roqueñi in the clinch.[10] He met Thai superstar Buakaw Por. Pramuk in the final on 18 December 2011 and lost on the judges' scorecards. Buakaw delivered a virtuoso performance, delivering punches to the head and body, thips, knees and sweeps that Giorgi simply couldn't defend against.[11][12]

On 27 April 2012, Giorgi defeated Tobias Alexandersson on points on the Gold Coast to win the vacant WKN World Welterweight (−69.9 kg/154.1 lb) Muay Thai strap.[13][14] He had originally been set to face Antuan Siangboxing but he was injured and had to pull out.[15] Two weeks later in Melbourne, Australia, he went up against Steve Moxon in a match that many believed would crown the country's top 70 kg/154 lb kickfighter. With Giorgi being a Muay Thai stylist and Moxon a kickboxer, the fight took place under modified Muay Thai rules which excluded elbow strikes.[16] Moxon floored Giorgi in the first round, but Giorgi then kept him at bay with kicks for the next four and was given the nod via split decision.[17]

In July 2012, Giorgi moved into the top ten in the middleweight world rankings for the first time in his career, coming in at #7.[18][19] A rematch with Nonsai was set to go down at Total Carnage II on the Gold Coast on 1 September 2012[20][21][22][23] but Rhyse Saliba stepped in as a late replacement for Nonsai who could not enter the country due to visa issues,[24] and Giorgi defeated him via a clear cut unanimous decision.[25] Overtaken by up-and-coming European talent such as Shemsi Beqiri, Murthel Groenhart and Davit Kiria, Giorgi dropped out of the middleweight world rankings in December 2012.[26]

He took on surging Thai Aikpracha Meenayothin at Yokkao Extreme 2013 in Milan, Italy on 26 January 2013[27][28][29] and was dropped twice in round two, once with a left cross and then again with a high kick, causing the referee to wave off the fight.[30][31][32][33]

He defeated Elliot Compton at Legacy 2 in Queensland on 22 November 2013.[34]

At Total Carnage IV held in Gold Coast on 14 December 2013, Giorgi lost a unanimous decision to Marco Tentori.[35]

Personal life

Giorgi has two sons, Frank, Jr. and Sebastian, with his partner Amy[36] and is a Catholic.[37]

He also follows football and supports AC Milan.

Championships and awards

Kickboxing

Kickboxing record

Kickboxing record

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

References

  1. ↑ Franki Giorgi 20/20
  2. ↑ Street Fighter – Frank Giorgi
  3. ↑ Street Fighter – Frank Giorgi
  4. ↑ Upcoming Australian Shows
  5. ↑ Evolution 23: Featuring Franki Giorgi Vs. MacFie Rematch
  6. ↑ Weekend Results: Zambidis, Saenchai, More
  7. ↑ The Challenger Muay Thai – New Reality Show, Features Worldwide Talent
  8. ↑ Photo of the Day: John Wayne Parr Injures Hand, Out of Sept. Fight
  9. ↑ Interstate Invaders Evolution 24
  10. ↑ Thai Fight 2011 Semi-Finals Results: Buakaw Advances to Finals
  11. ↑ Kem Sitsongpeenong and Buakaw Por Pramuk Triumph at Thai Fights
  12. ↑ Franki Giorgi – his journey to Buakaw
  13. ↑ Nathan Corbett and Frank Giorgi Win in Australia
  14. ↑ Frank Giorgi fights for Muay Thai world title
  15. ↑ Nathan Corbett and Frank Giorgi Defend WKN Titles in Australia, 7 April
  16. ↑ Steve Moxon trains for fight with Frank Giorgi
  17. ↑ Frank Giorgi defeats Steve Moxon by split decision
  18. ↑ LiverKick.com Rankings – June 2012
  19. ↑ LiverKick.com Rankings – July 2012
  20. ↑ Nathan "Carnage" Corbet vs. Steve McKinnon II On Saturday In Australia
  21. ↑ 2x world champion Nonsai to fight Frank Giorgi Again in Australia + Carnage/McKinnon II!
  22. ↑ Total Carnage II – Nathan Corbett Vs Steve Mckinnon
  23. ↑ Kickboxing News: Badr Hari Update, Superkombat And K-1 Team Up, Much More
  24. ↑ Frank Giorgi vs Nonsai cancelled. Saliba takes the fight
  25. ↑ Nathan "Carnage" Corbett Wins Decision Over Steve McKinnon In Rematch
  26. ↑ LiverKick.com Middleweight Rankings – December 2012
  27. ↑ Aikpracha Meenayothin vs. Frank Giorgi added to Yokkao Extreme 2013
  28. ↑ Fights To Watch In January 2013
  29. ↑ Yokkao Extreme 2013 Fight Card for Saturday, 26 January
  30. ↑ Yokkao Extreme 2013 Live Results
  31. ↑ Yokkao Extreme 2013 Recap: Askerov Upsets Souwer, Thais Showcased
  32. ↑ Frank Giorgi loses to Meenayothin at Yokkao Extreme 2013
  33. ↑ Results from this past weekend Yokkao Extreme event in Milan, Italy
  34. ↑ Frank Giorgi wins vs Elliott Compton in Queensland
  35. ↑ Total Carnage IV Results and Recap
  36. ↑ Frank Giorgi biography
  37. ↑ Follow the journey of the 16 Challengers through each episode of The Challenger Muaythai!!

External links