The 1st World Phoenix Organization free boxing gala brought together around twenty fighters from different disciplines on Saturday evening at the Port. They had been selected during various challenges in recent weeks. The new format seems to have convinced.
Saturday evening the Cotur du Port gymnasium vibrated to the sound of encouragement from both sides of the ring at the World Phoenix Organization Free Boxing Gala.
A first edition which wanted to bring together practitioners of several disciplines in the same ring. “A derivative of MMA“, describes Samuel Andoche, president of the World Phoenix Organization.
Free boxing is “a multi-discipline practice where all disciplines can compete while respecting certain limits: no elbows, no hitting the ground“, he summarizes.
Watch the report from Réunion La 1ère:
The very first free boxing gala took place at the Port on Saturday evening. Back to the evening.
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©Reunion the 1st
After several rigorous physical and mental tests (push-ups, 10km race, cage work, interval training, etc.) over five selection days, spread over several weeks, two teams were formed, retaining only the best.
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©Réunion La 1ère
In total, 10 pro and semi-pro fights were on the bill at the gala, mixing practitioners of muay thai, karate, MMA, ju-jitsu, but also “fighters from the street who have never been invited to a set nor framed“, specified Saturday Samuel Andoche, guest of the Réunion La 1ère news.
The prize is a world belt and an intercontinental belt for pro fighters as well as a bonus of 8,000 euros to share.
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©Réunion La 1ère
Damien Tafiki, one of the fighters, victorious this Saturday against Kenny Cerveaux, is satisfied: “the game plan was respected”. “We had a little pressure but very good pressure, we had to be efficient. Na three times three minutes to talk: more lively, more treacherous as I say!” he laughs.
The team's coach, Eric Rivière, is pleased: “It was the moment when we had to make a difference, and we made a difference. The information we give to students is passed on, they listened, and that’s how we win“, he blurted.
On the opposing team, coach Eric Lerusse admits defeat, with one fight remaining. “We lose the first fight, we have two or three victories, we lose again… It was the emotional elevator”, he comments.
“In the last fight where we lost the 8,000 euros, opposite it was an MMA guy, we had a Thai boxing guy. We had put in place a strategy but opposite it was too fast, suddenly he won on his game plan, that’s how it is“, he continues.
He remembers from this month devoted to training with his team, the “super organisation, un super concept“.
The intercontinental belt left with the Mauritian Jean Jeff Rosiere, who faced the organizer, Samuel Andoche.
“I'm super happy. (…) These are the fruits of hard work, with the family behind it. The organization is great”
Jean Jeff Rosiere, Mauritian fighter
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Samuel Andoche was not supposed to be among the fighters this Saturday, but had to replace one of the boxers at short notice after a last minute cancellation. But the fight took place partly on the ground, to the detriment of the Reunionese who was not used to it. “The fight was complicated when I realized that the ground was not my domain. (…) Even in training I never did the floor, very technical, very hard“, tells Samuel Andoche.
Finally, it was Logan Andoche, the brother of Samuel Andoche who won the world belt, after a fight against the Mauritian Kheiladh Pholauree. A “vengeance“sort of,” he said.Mi will always knock out my banned opponents. Unfortunately my brother lost it, but it's also a first for him“, he comments.
Logan Andoche is however satisfied: “Second time world champion, I'm less happy!”
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©Réunion La 1ère
