In what might be the tallest fight in GLORY history Levi Rigters vs Jamal Ben Saddik will be a main card fight that is sure to be full of fireworks. The towering Dutch fighter Rigters 2 m (6 ft 6 in) will look to overcome the even taller 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) Ben Saddik, from Belgium. The two are fighting for the place in a competitive GLORY Kickboxing heavyweight division. The younger Rigters will be looking to make his name with an impressive victory against the notoriously tough Ben Saddik.
Levi Rigters
The Enfusion Heavyweight Champion and the 2020 Glory Heavyweight Tournament Champion, Rigters has huge expectations to fill. People had begun to call him the ‘Crown Prince’ of Kickboxing. With his height and talent, this young man is being considered to be the next champion. At merely 26 years old he stands on the edge of greatness coming into GLORY 80. With a record of 13-1 in kickboxing, and coming off a win in his last bout, the top-ranked fighter will be fighting to become a champion soon. But standing in his way is the tough, and hometown hero, Ben Saddik. “I want to become the champion before I’m 28,” Rigters tells MMA Sucka.
“Against Tarik [Khbabez] when I lost the fight I was not mentally in it,” Rigters said regarding his lone career loss, “Now I do things like meditation, focusing on my breathing techniques, getting a mental coach, and that’s only for me in the last year. I’m still learning a lot of new things. And that’s why I said sometimes you have to fail to learn things like that.”
A momentous 2022 potentially stands in front of Rigters. Not only fighting for a top contender spot, but he is also expecting twins, his first kids. Additionally, he wants to use his platform to help troubled youths get into a gym. “I have a dream to help,” He said, “A lot of people who just need an extra push in the right direction, like the youth. I will use the sports to motivate them and help them a little bit. That would be something I will focus on more in the future… I think kickboxing, I learned a lot in this sport, and I think I can use it for those people.”
Jamal Ben Saddik
Jamal Ben Saddik is a challenging fight for any opponent. The towering heavyweight is a tough-as-nails veteran fighter who was nearly heavyweight champion he scored knockdowns against Rico Verhoeven this past October. One of the best fights in kickboxing history was had when Verhoeven and Ben Saddik went to war the title on the line ending a legendary trilogy. Now, Ben Saddik says Rigters is merely an obstacle in earning the title he wants.
“Every fight that I fight is an obstacle on my way for the belt, you know. I’m focused on the belt… so let’s say he’s just an obstacle on my way to the belt,” Ben Saddik said in a press conference, and adds, “I always go for the knockout and this time is the same.”
“No pressure,” Ben Saddik adds regarding fighting in his hometown, “This is the fight game.”
Levi Rigters vs Jamal Ben Saddik – GLORY 80
Ben Saddik is a game opponent, a crafty veteran, who is a challenging fight for any kickboxing heavyweight. When discussing this bout Remy Bonjasky said it will be a major test for Rigters. “Jamal, he’s strong, he’s powerful. And I think that will be the thing… Levi is very good with his techniques, with his combos. Nobody has tested his head, I don’t know if his head, his chin is strong or not. That’s what we’re going to see on the 19th of March.” Defeating Ben Saddik is no easy task, this is a very tall order. “Who’s doing the management of Levi? I would have skipped this fight.” Bonjasky tells MMA Sucka.
“He’s a big guy. The biggest guy I fought, the heaviest guy, probably, the hardest-hitting opponent.” Rigters is relishing the challenge and will need to stay patient and tactical to defeat Ben Saddik, “We have to fight smart. He has a lot of weaknesses too. And we have to use those weaknesses to our favor.”
Both fighters may be seeking to wear the other down and make it a grueling fight. Both men have struggled in later-round fights and have shown weakness when forced into deep waters. A challenging test of cardio may decide the next contender in the GLORY heavyweight division.
Ahead of the winner is a match potentially against long-time champion Rico Verhoeven. The winner of Badr Hari vs Arek Wrzosek, also remains a potential opponent along with number one ranked Antonio Plazibat, of Croatia. The heavyweight division is full of great fighters and knockout artists. Both fighters will need to fight the perfect game to leave their mark in this division on March 19 at GLORY 80.
