Frank Muñoz

Frank Muñoz
Born Francisco Muñoz
August 14, 1983
Barcelona, Spain
Other names Black Panther
Nationality Spain Spanish
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 98 kg (216 lb; 15 st 6 lb)
Division Heavyweight
Style Kickboxing
Fighting out of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Team Moya Barcelona (2005-present)
Chakuriki Gym (2010-present)
Vos Gym (2008-2010)
Trainer Mousid Akhamrane (2013-present) Thom Harinck
Xavi Moya
Ivan Hippolyte
Years active 2005 - present
Kickboxing record
Total 78
Wins 60
By knockout 31
Losses 17
Draws 1
Other information
Website http://www.frankmunoz.net/
last updated on: December 21, 2013

Frank Muñoz (born 14 August 1983) is a Spanish heavyweight kickboxer fighting in the SUPERKOMBAT Fighting Championship where he is the 2013 SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix Tournament Champion. He is also current WAKO-Pro K-1 European champion.

Biography and career

Frank Muñoz was adopted by Minorcan family and spent his first days on the island. He started kickboxing in Barcelona in 2005 at Esportrogent gym with former fullcontact champion Xavi Moya. He had been inspired after watching Remy Bonjasky fight on television.[1] In 2008 he moved to Amsterdam and joined Vos Gym. He was trained by Ivan Hippolyte and had famous sparring partners like Mirko Filipović, Remy Bonjasky. After that he joined Chakuriki Gym in 2010, trained by Thom Harinck alongside Le Banner, Braddock Silva, Peter Aerts and Hesdy Gerges he faced some top fighters.[2]

He was Spanish Muay thai professional champion, in 2010 he fought Brice Guidon for his WPMF European Heavyweight Muaythai title and lost the fight by split decision. In the same year he became Amsterdam fight club heavyweight tournament champion defeating Slovenian Jasmin Bečirović and Thiago Martina in the final.[3] Later that year he had debout for the world top promotion It's Showtime and lost to Rico Verhoeven by decision.

In 2011 he participated Enfusion: Quest for honor tournament. It was a TV Show featuring 15 fighters that live, train and fight together. During the show he defeated Sahak Parparyan and Redouan Cairo in SUPERKOMBAT, some of the best -95 kg fighters and went to the final tournament in Prague where he defeated Wendell Roche and lost of domestic Ondřej Hutník in the finals.

In 2012 he fouht in a tournament for WKN kickboxing GP and lost in the finals to the one of the best Frensh kickboxers Stéphane Susperregui after extra round.[4] Then he fought Steve McKinnon for WBC Muaythai Super Cruiserweight World title and surprisingly lost the fight in the first round by overhand right knockout after only 16 seconds.[5]

On October 20, 2012 he became WAKO-Pro K-1 European champion defeating Toni Čatipović from Croatia after five rounds. In the second round Čatipović caught him with few elbows but without any cut that would hinder Muñoz to take victory. Later Čatipović was few times at the edge of knockout but managed to Finnish the fight, that clearly belonged to Muñoz.[6]

He was late replacement in a non-tournament bout at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 Final in Zagreb, Croatia on March 15, 2013 and he lost to Mladen Brestovac via unanimous decision .[7][8]

He competed in the tournament at SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 10 in Craiova, Romania on May 18, 2013. After defeating Nikolaj Falin via unanimous decision in the semi-finals, he lost a controversial unanimous decision to Sebastian Ciobanu following an extension round in the final.[9][10][11]

As much of the kickboxing community felt that Muñoz was very solid against Ciobanu, SUPERKOMBAT officials decided to award him with a wildcard spot in the SUPERKOMBAT Grand Prix 2013.[12][13][14]

He defeated Damien Garcia by unanimous decision in a rather lackluster fight at the K-1 World MAX 2013 World Championship Tournament Final 16 in Majorca, Spain on September 14, 2013.[15][16][17]

He faced Muamer Tufekčić on SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix 2013 Final Elimination in quarter finals. In second round Muñoz sent a low blow and referee counted to Tufekčić, at the end of the round Muamer was also deducted a point for clinching. In third round Muamer scored a knockdown but could not Finnish the fight and Muñoz won by judges split decision.[18][19][20][21]

He won the SUPERKOMAT World Grand Prix 2013 Final in Galați, Romania on December 21, 2013, beating D'Angelo Marshall by unanimous decision in the semi-finals before taking an extension round unanimous decision over Redouan Cairo in the final.[22]

Honours and awards

On January 24 After winning SUPERKOMAT World Grand Prix 2013 Final he was awarded with Silver Flabiol and won the "Ciutadellencs de s’Any 2013" award, becoming Sportsman of the year and the Honorary citizen of hometown Ciutadella de Menorca.[23][24] On April 17, 2014 Frank Muñoz was awarded in Menorca at the I Gala de l'es port menorqui with the Gold distinction as outstanding athlete 2013.[25]

Honours and awards

Titles

Professional

Amateur

Kickboxing record

Professional Kickboxing Record

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

Amateur Kickboxing Record

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

See also

References

  1. ↑ On the Upswing: FSA Talks To SUPERKOMBAT Star Frank Munoz
  2. ↑ BIOGRAPHY(Spanish)
  3. ↑ Frank Muñoz ganador Amsterdam Fight Club Tournament.(Spanish)
  4. ↑ Stephane Susperregui wins WKN kickboxing GP in Geneva
  5. ↑ Steve Mckinnon KO’s Frank Munoz in the first round
  6. ↑ Frank Muñoz, rey europeo de Muay Thai(Spanish)
  7. ↑ K-1 World Grand Prix 2013 Live Results
  8. ↑ K-1 World Grand Prix Final 8 results and LIVE kickboxing coverage from Zagreb, Croatia TODAY (March 15)
  9. ↑ Full Fight Card For This Week's Super Kombat WGP in Craiova
  10. ↑ SuperKombat WGP Craiova Results
  11. ↑ SUPERKOMBAT World GP Craiova Results: Morosanu, Ciobanu Win at Home
  12. ↑ Eduard Irimia: Frank Munoz has received a wild card for the Final Elimination
  13. ↑ SuperKombat: Frank Munoz Receives a Wild Card in SK WGP
  14. ↑ Frank Munoz Gets A Chance at Redemption After SUPERKOMBAT GP Performance
  15. ↑ K-1 World MAX 2013 Final 16 Live Results
  16. ↑ K-1 World Max Final 16 2013 Results
  17. ↑ Buakaw Banchamek returns to K-1 world max with a knockout (with fight video)
  18. ↑ Morosanu i Catinas slavili nokautima, Tufekčić poražen(Croatian)
  19. ↑ Thriller in Ploiesti at SUPERKOMBAT® World Grand Prix – Final Elimination
  20. ↑ SuperKombat Notes; Results and Nov. 9th Fight Card
  21. ↑ Weekend Results: SuperKombat WGP Final Elimination
  22. ↑ SuperKombat World Grand Prix Final Results
  23. ↑ Frank Muñoz, la «Delfín Serra» y Lluís Meca ganan los Fabiols del Casino Nou(Spanish)
  24. ↑ Frank Muñoz, “Ciutadellenc de s’any 2013″(Spanish)
  25. ↑ http://deportesmenorca.com/dijous-sant-es-dur-a-terme-sa-gala-de-sesport-menorqui/
  26. ↑ Resultat Acte 1
  27. ↑ Završen drugi dan Svjetskog kickboxing prvenstva(Croatian)