Tyrone Spong

Tyrone Spong
Born Tyrone Clinton Spong
(1985-09-03) September 3, 1985
Paramaribo, Suriname
Other names King of the Ring
Nationality Dutch
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb)
Division Super Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Cruiserweight
Middleweight
Light Heavyweight (205 lb) (MMA)
Heavyweight (Boxing)
Reach 74.5 in (189 cm)
Style Muay Thai, Kickboxing
Stance Orthodox
Fighting out of Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Team Team Mr. Perfect
Fighting Factory Carbin
Mundo Boxing
Blackzilians
Trainer Ernesto Hoost
Lucien Carbin
Henri Hooft
Years active 2001–present (Kickboxing)
2012-present (MMA)
Professional boxing record
Total 2
Wins 2
By knockout 2
Kickboxing record
Total 83
Wins 74
By knockout 46
Losses 7
By knockout 4
Draws 1
No contests 1
Mixed martial arts record
Total 2
Wins 2
By knockout 1
By decision 1
Losses 0
Other information
Website http://www.tyrone-spong.nl
Boxing record from BoxRec
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: April 12, 2014

Tyrone Clinton Spong (born September 3, 1985) is a Surinamese kickboxer, mixed martial artist and boxer. He is the reigning WFCA Cruiserweight Muay Thai champion, former Glory 95kg Slam Champion and It's Showtime 95MAX World champion, fighting out of Fighting Factory Carbin in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Early life

Tyrone Spong was born in Suriname. In 1990 at the age of 5, he moved to the Netherlands with his family. Growing up in the Bijlmermeer, he was often involved in street fighting and began training in kickboxing at thirteen when he found a gym by coincidence. After getting his "ass whooped" in his first day of training, he was motivated to improve. He had his first match at fifteen and won by first round knockout.[1] Some of his early sparring partners included Alistair and Valentijn Overeem, and Gilbert Yvel.[2]

Career

In 2003, his first year as a pro, he made his mark winning 12 fights that year. In 2004, he fought against Rafi Zouheir at the Battle of Zaandam and won his first European Muay Thai Title (WKN). In 2004 Spong also visited Japan to compete in Shootboxing where he lost to Ryuji Goto. Goto suplexed him in the final seconds of the fight to earn a well-received unanimous decision. His next fight in April 2005, was against Belgian Mohammed Ouali for another European Title (WPKL). Spong won the fight by unanimous decision.

In December, 2005 at the A-1 Combat Cup in Duisburg, after three consecutive KO's in one night, Tyrone Spong won his first tournament Championship.

In 2006 Spong had two his biggest victories of his young career, KO wins over Muay Thai veteran Joerie Mes and two weeks later knocking out K-1 superstar Kaoklai Kaennorsing from Thailand in a first round.

On March 28, 2009, Spong participated in the first ever K-1 Heavyweight (-100 kg) Title tournament, held in Yokohama, Japan. He was beaten by Gokhan Saki in semifinals by right hook KO of the extra round.[3]

Spong finally met rival Nathan Corbett at Champions of Champions II in what was widely considered a battle between the two best Muay Thai fighters in the world at their weight class for the W.M.C. world title -93 kg. The fight was a close affair with Spong knocking Corbett down on the second round only for it to end with a controversial decision. In the third round Corbett managed to knock Spong out with a huge right hook causing the referee to stop the fight. However, due to the referee's misleading hand signals, Corbett rushed back in to knock Spong down once more, not sure that the fight had been stopped. After considerable confusion the fight was declared a no contest instead of a Corbett KO win.

After defeating the Worlds heavyweight champion, Kyotaro he fought Jerome Le Banner in April 2010. Similar to the Nathan Corbett fight Spong broke his right hand in the first round and was knocked down. Despite coming back strongly he lost by decision. At the end of the year he qualified for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Final, defeating veteran Ray Sefo in an elimination match, only to lose to eventual winner Alistair Overeem at the quarter final stage in what was a more competitive fight than most initial thought - as Overeem was much the bigger fighter. At the start of 2011, Spong had to vacate the It's Showtime 95MAX world title due to a number of issues such as not having had a title defense in the allocated two years and his management stating that he had moved up in weight to fight as a heavyweight.[4]

He faced Remy Bonjasky at Glory 5: London in London, England on March 23, 2013.[5][6][7][8] Spong won via one-punch KO with a right hook in the second round.[9][10][11][10][11]

Spong returned to 95 kg to fight in the Glory 9: New York - 2013 95kg Slam in New York City, New York, United States on June 22, 2013.[12][13] He had a scare in the quarter-finals when he was dropped by Michael Duut immediately as their bout started, although it was not counted by the referee. Just moments after returning to his feet, he landed a crushing right hand on Duut, sending him crashing to the canvas and ensuring his passage to the semis against Filip Verlinden.[14] It was a technical battle this time, with Spong outpointing the Belgian and taking a unanimous decision. A match with Danyo Ilunga awaited him in the final but it ended in a controversial and anticlimactic fashion. As the fight began, both fighters met in the center of the ring and Spong unloaded a flurry of punches. As Ilunga covered up and prepared to counter, referee Mufadel Elghazaoui jumped in and stopped the fight, giving Spong the TKO win at just sixteen seconds of the first round.[15][16][17] Although, it was later revealed that there was a "no standing eight count" rule in effect at the event as per the New York State Athletic Commission's regulations, the stoppage was still deemed premature by much of the kickboxing community.[18][19]

He twice dropped Nathan Corbett with left hooks, winning by second round TKO in their long-awaited rematch at Glory 11: Chicago - Heavyweight World Championship Tournament in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States on October 12, 2013.[20][21][22][23][24]

Competing for the inaugural Glory Light Heavyweight Championship, he fought in the Glory 15: Istanbul - Light Heavyweight World Championship Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey on April 12, 2014. After defeating Saulo Cavalari via unanimous decision in the semi-finls, he then faced Gökhan Saki in a highly anticipated rematch in the final. Midway through the opening round, Spong threw a kick to Saki's left leg. Saki checked the kick, causing Spong's lower right leg to fracture immediately and end the fight via TKO.[25][26][27]

Spong underwent surgery to repair his broken leg and should return to training in October 2014.[28]

Mixed martial arts career

World Series of Fighting

Spong made his highly anticipated MMA debut against Travis Bartlett at World Series of Fighting 1 on November 3, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada in the light heavyweight (205 lb) division. For his MMA debut he trained with the Blackzilians for over a year with such fighters as K-1 World Grand Prix winner and former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem and former UFC light heavyweight champions Rashad Evans and Vitor Belfort.[29] Spong knocked out Bartlett at 3:15 of the first round with a straight right.

Spong faced Angel DeAnda at World Series of Fighting 4 on August 10, 2013, in the main event.[30] Spong won via unanimous decision.

Spong is scheduled to face Jake Heun on December 18, 2015 at World Series of Fighting 26.[31]

Titles

Personal life

Spong has three children.[34] He is an avid lover of animals, as is evidenced by the majority of his tattoos. He is the owner of several pit bull terriers, which he bred himself.[35] Spong has trained in the United States with Floyd Mayweather, Sr.[36] He is friends with mixed martial artists Rashad Evans, Alistair Overeem, Muhammed Lawal and Rodney Glunder. He has helped all of them prepare for some of their fights.[37] Spong trains his physical conditioning at the ReAT Sports athletic performance facility in Amsterdam, under the Strength & Conditioning specialist Rayen Bindraban.[38]

Mixed martial arts record

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 2–0 Angel DeAnda Decision (unanimous) WSOF 4 August 10, 2013 3 5:00 Ontario, California, United States
Win 1–0 Travis Bartlett KO (punch) WSOF 1 November 3, 2012 1 3:15 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States MMA Debut

Professional boxing record

Boxing Record

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

Kickboxing record

Kickboxing record

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tyrone Spong Plans to Add Pro Boxing to His Combat Sports Schedule". Sherdog.
  2. ↑ "Tyrone Spong: Gilbert Yvel Could Have Been One of the Best Ever". Sherdog.
  3. ↑ Dipietro, Monty. "Maeda Takes K-1 Heavyweight Belt; Bonjasky Beats Overeem". K-1 Grand Prix Website. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  4. ↑ "IT’S SHOWTIME world title 95kg max vacant". www.itsshowtime.nl. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  5. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  6. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  7. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  8. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  9. ↑ "Glory 5 London Results and Gifs: Spong stops Bonjasky to cap off entertaining card". Bloody Elbow.
  10. 1 2 Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  11. 1 2 "Results and Recap: Glory 5 ~ Muay Thai Authority". muaythaiauthority.com.
  12. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  13. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  14. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  15. ↑ "Glory 9 Results and Recap: Tyrone Spong Wins Light Heavyweight Tournament ~ Muay Thai Authority". muaythaiauthority.com.
  16. ↑ Fight Sport Asia. "GLORY 9 Results and Review: Tyrone Spong Wins Light Heavyweight Tournament, Ghita Dominates Guidon". Fight Sport Asia.
  17. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  18. ↑ Michael Stets. "Tyrone Spong Wins Glory 9 Light Heavyweight Slam with 16-Second TKO in Final". Bleacher Report.
  19. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  20. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  21. ↑ "Tyrone Spong vs. Nathan Corbett and more confirmed for Glory 11 in Chicago ~ Muay Thai Authority". muaythaiauthority.com.
  22. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  23. ↑ "Glory 11 Results and Recap ~ Muay Thai Authority". muaythaiauthority.com.
  24. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  25. ↑ "Video: Tyrone Spong suffers brutal leg break in GLORY 15 tourney final". MMAjunkie.
  26. ↑ "Glory 15 Results and Recap ~ Muay Thai Authority". muaythaiauthority.com.
  27. ↑ Fight Sport Asia. "GLORY 15 Results/Pictures: Saki wins title, Spong suffers horrific leg injury". Fight Sport Asia.
  28. ↑ Dave Walsh (April 14, 2014). "Tyrone Spong Releases Statement Post-Surgery". mmanuts.com. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Ray Sefo: Tyrone Spong Coming to World Series of Fighting". Fight Corner.
  30. ↑ "Six fights confirmed for WSOF 4, While Anthony Johnson and Mike Kyle are set for WSOF 5". Retrieved 2013-06-22.
  31. ↑ "Tyrone Spong meets Jake Heun in return at WSOF 26 in Las Vegas in December". MMA Junkie. USA Today. October 15, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Kickboxer of the Year 2013: Tyrone Spong - Kickboxingplanet.com". Kickboxingplanet. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
  33. ↑ Dave Walsh. "LiverKick - LiverKick". liverkick.com.
  34. ↑ "YouTube". youtube.com.
  35. ↑ "TYRONE SPONG x FARO ROUND 1". YouTube. 13 March 2011.
  36. ↑ "YouTube". youtube.com.
  37. ↑ "K-1 Star Tyrone Spong on Training With Rashad Evans + Competing In MMA". YouTube. 6 August 2011.
  38. ↑ "Tyrone Spong Power Training!". YouTube. 1 May 2011.

External links

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