Kickboxing legend Buakaw Banchamek has been entered in the 2024 K-1 MAX Grand Prix that will go down on Jul. 7. He was entered as the wildcard pick in the quarter-final round against the top-ranked Ouyang Feng of China.
Buakaw Banchamek
The K-1 MAX tournament began earlier this year with 14 entries in the 70 kg division. These 14 would fight for an entry to the next round with only 7 winners. However, one slot would be left open for a wildcard entry. It was long rumoured who might be the pick. Ultimately, the two-time K-1 MAX World Champion was selected.
The Jul. 7 tournament now has its full brackets:
Ouyang Feng vs. Buakaw Banchamek
Dengue Silva vs. Darryl Verdonk
Viktor Akimov vs. Romano Bakboord
Kacper Muszyński vs. Zhora Akopyan
Buakaw Banchamek of Thailand is a renowned kickboxer celebrated for winning K-1 MAX Grand Prix championships in the mid-2000s. Throughout his career in Muay Thai and kickboxing, he has achieved over 240 victories. Known primarily for his impressive kicking ability, Buakaw is seen as a legendary figure in the sport. The 42-year-old is most recently coming off of a knockout win against former K-1 champion Minoru Kimura.
China’s Ouyang Feng is the highest-ranked fighter in the tournament and the most challenging draw the Thai striker could have faced. Feng is the current K-1 Super Welterweight Champion in addition to his multiple titles in WLF. Most recently, he is on a nine-fight unbeaten streak with notable wins over Davit Kiria, Hiromi Wajima, and others.
Dengue Silva from Brazil, a Muay Thai striker known for his knockout power, will go up against Darryl Verdonk, a former Enfusion world champion from the Netherlands. Additionally, the lineup includes Viktor Akimov versus Romano Bakboord and Kacper Muszyński taking on Zhora Akopyan.
This will be a one-night tournament for the K-1 MAX world title, hosted live from the Yoyogi 2nd Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
