HIROSHIMA, April 9, 2008 -- Twenty-nine year-old Japanese kickboxer Masato out-punched South African boxer Virgil Kalakoda to emerge victorious tonight in the Main Event at the World Max '08 Final 16 Tournament in Hiroshima.

Masato won the World Max Championship in 2003, and made it to the final last year. Here, Masato wanted to prove he's still a force to be reckoned with. Kalakoda, meanwhile, had won seven of his eleven World Max fights, and stepped in the ring with a chance to claim a spot at the top.

From the opening bell, Masato was the more aggressive fighter, throwing the low kicks and closing with body blows and tight combinations. Kalakoda kept his guard high and close, and but for a couple of unsuccessful punching attempts, did little to challenge.

The South African switched to an unusual cross-arm guard late in the round, and in the second opened up some, shifting his weight forward, looking for way in. But Masato's lateral movement kept him out of trouble, while his zippy punches and kicks to the midsection proved the best strikes of the round. All three scorecards had Masato ahead in both the first and second rounds. One had to wonder what Kalakoda was waiting for.

In the third, Masato's go-to strategy paid off, as he got round his opponent's guard with a right hook. Kalakoda fell hard to canvas, and there was no way was going to beat the count. A tremendous performance and a KO victory, confirming Masato as not only Japan's best, but one of the world's best.

"I said I wanted to beat Virgil with a punch and that's what I did," said a beaming Masato in his post-fight interview. "Now, because my predictions are coming true, let me make another one -- I will win the World Max Championship this year!"

The K-1 World Max is one of the most thrilling fightsport competitions in the world today. With its 70kg/154lbs weight class, World Max delivers an unparalleled combination of speed and technique that have made it a favorite of sports fans everywhere.

The road to this year's World Max Championship has three-stages. The final and semifinals are scheduled for October, and the fighters competing there will be determined at the historic Nippon Budokan in July, when the final eight square off in a quartet of elimination bouts.

Tonight, all eyes were on Hiroshima. The event featured 16 fighters from 12 countries in eight elimination matches -- with the victors going to the Budokan.

Aside from Masato, three other World Max Grand Champions competed in Hiroshima.

Defending and two-time Max Champ Andy Souwer of Holland stepped in against the small Greek with the big punch, Mike Zambidis.

The first round saw Zambidis closing sharply to score with a right hook and flying knee, Souwer doing well with numerous low kicks and a punishing right knee. In the second, Zambidis got another knee up and brought on an aggressive barrage of body blows at the clapper, but his front leg was beginning to bruise at the thigh from Souwer's kicks. A hard-fought third round, Souwer continuing to press with the low kicks, Zambidis closing up his guard and blasting in with body blows.

All three judges called it a draw, and so a tiebreaker round was prescribed. Zambidis waited for Souwer to make the first move -- a high kick that missed -- then exploded with the fists. The Greek fighter's blocking was sound, he it looked like might have stolen this one -- until, after an innocent Souwer jab, he let his right guard drop. Souwer wasted no time firing up a high kick that smacked Zambidis hard on the side of head. Souwer got the win by KO -- and remarked afterward that he believed he had earned a win after three rounds -- but this was a much closer fight than many would have expected.

In the evening's penultimate bout, two-time World Max Grand Champion Buakaw Por Pramuk of Thailand met the first-ever Max Champion, Dutch boxer Albert Kraus.

Buakaw had the more balanced attacks through the first round, mixing it up with punches and kicks, scoring with a left hook. Kraus rarely kicked, but did block most of what came his way, and made good contact with an uppercut. In the second again Buakaw skillfully brought his varied arsenal to play, while Kraus continued to close with the jab and again landed an uppercut. Seemingly indefatigable, Buakaw kept on coming and in the third used the legs and fists alike, but Kraus showed excellent blocking, and pounded in a left straight punch to keep it close.

Judges could not agree on a winner, and so called for an extra round.

Buakaw now threw everything but the kitchen sink at his opponent, but Kraus' evasions and blocking were up to task. A tough one to call, and a mixed reaction from the crowd when Buakaw's arm was raised.

Kickboxer Yoshihiro Sato, the 2006 World Max Japan Champion, took on Murat Direkci, a tough Turk who had posted an impressive first-round KO victory over Albert Kraus in his last fight.

Sato brought a 10cm/4" height advantage to this fight, but Direkci responded fittingly, using front kicks to control the distance and getting through early with a couple of creative ascending punching attacks. In the second round Sato fired in low kicks, and although these did little to discourage Direkci from coming forward with the fists, they were taking their toll on his legs.

The third saw spirited efforts from both fighters. Sato cocked his opponent's head back with a front kick, and make contact with the left straight punch, Direkci putting an estimable punch through late in the round. The blocking was sound and there was little apparent damage but this was an entertaining technical bout. The win went to Sato by unanimous decision.

Twenty-one year-old Ukrainian kickboxer Artur Kyshenko stepped in against Ray Sefo protégé Jordan Tai of New Zealand in a terrific contest.

An exchange of hard low kicks to start this one, before the fighters switched to punches. Tai put a nice right overhand on target, before Kyshenko came in with straight punches and connected with a sensational high kick. Tai took a hard knee at the end of the first, but got out of the round. Tai pumped up a nice uppercut midway through the second, and while Kyshenko was good with his knees, Tai ably answered one of these with a right punch to score a down late in the round. A furious end to the second.

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