Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki (11-2-2) has challenged the WEC bantamweight champion, Miguel Torres (35-1) for a fight scheduled on April 5th in Chicago, Il. Mizugaki is expecting a rude welcome to the US but once inside the cage at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, its said he plans on silencing the crowd the only way he knows – knocking out Torres.
“Fighting in the WEC, fighting in the states, challenging the champion at his hometown, it’s an ultimate ‘away’ fight,” Mizugaki said. “I am expecting huge booing from the fans, and on top of that, it’s going to be a five-rounder. Everything about this fight is ‘first time’ for me so I am really looking forward to it.” Mizugaki also went on to say “I am just going to look for a knockout just like I did in all my past fights. I want to strike.”
Many may question Mizuaki’s knockout ability against the champion. Mizugaki is a 5’7″, 135-pound fighter who boasts a very impressive stand up game that will be put to the test with Torres. The Muay Thai specialist went undefeated (3-0) in 2008 with two wins coming from knockouts and other by submission.
“I saw all of his WEC fights and I don’t see too many holes in his game,” Mizugaki, who has not lost a fight since February 2007, said. “Maybe I am feeling that way because I have never seen him actually losing in the fight. I have to stick with what I do best which is the striking game.”
All in all, Mizgaki realizes that he will be coming into hostile territory to battle a champion. Torres has wreaked havoc in the WEC batamweight division and doesn’t plan on changing for this fight.
Tickets for World Extreme Cagefighting are on sale now and available for purchase through the UIC Pavilion, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 312-559-1212.
World Extreme Cagefighting will be televised live nationally on VERSUS beginning at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT. All live WEC events are presented in Hi-Definition (HD) where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.
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