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Page 1 of 2 K-1 Max Press Conference
TOKYO, July 6, 2004 -- Some 200 people packed a press conference at the Shin Takanawa Hotel today as eight fighters from seven countries met Japanese and international media in advance of the 2004 K-1 World Max 2004 Final. The event takes place Wednesday, July 7, at Yoyogi Olympic Gymnasium in downtown Tokyo.
K-1 World Max 2004 Champion Buakaw Por Pramuk of Thailand will step in against Japanese kickboxer Kozo Takeda in the first of a pair of main event fights. Said the soft-spoken Buakow: "I want to thank everyone for all the support, it is my pleasure to be here and I will fight in a manner worthy of my title as Champion." Takeda also promised to do his best. In contrast to that politeness, there was a bit of verbal sparring between the boys meeting in the second of the two headline bouts -- sensational Japanese fighter Genki Sudo, and WBC America Jr Middleweight Champion Michael Larmer of the United States. Said Larmer, "I flew all the way over to Japan to win. You know, it's said that everything is bigger in Texas, and so I'm going to give Sudo a Texas-sized butt-kicking!" Larmer could be seen continually staring at and mouthing off toward Sudo as the two sat at the fighters' table, at one point he stood up and invited the Japanese fighter to mix it up. But Sudo refused to be intimidated, and only smiled back in Larmer's direction: "Michael Larmer is very strong, but I have practiced my boxing, and I am ready and happy to be fighting him." Asked about Sudo's razzle dazzle ring antics and unpredictable fighting style, Larmer had this to say: "I've been fighting since I was six and I've seen all the tricks. That running around and monkey jumping, that doesn't worry me, I'm just going to go in and knock him out!"
Replied an unfazed Sudo, "I've heard these American boxers like Mike Tyson talk trash about their opponents before a fight, and then we see the results. So, I'm quite pleased to be dealt with in that way."
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