We are approaching this year’s big event, the 6th World Cup in Karate Shinkyokushin,and in this context we will take a closer look at athletes in the respective classes.. Four divisions for men/women, and the best fighters from each region are chosen through results from notable tournaments as All Japan open, European Championship etc.

Kazakhstan as the host have the ability to support the tournament with several fighter included those who are qualified by region, central Asia. In the lightweight category Kazakhstan have four fighters in the line up, all of the really highly skilled. Vitaliy Chekh, Alisher Akhmetzhan, Yerkebulan Beisembayev and reign champion Dmitriy Moiseev. Moiseev will be the most profiled fighter of them, but all of the have notable titles and podium places in their merits.

Andrei Zinchenko, Georgia, have been one of the top fighter in Europe the last year. European Champion 2014 and in 2016, runner up in 2015 and third place in 2012/2013 Fail to reach the podium this year, but his level belongs to the absolute top. First fight with Alisher Akhmetzhan, Kazakhstan, that will be a tough, where the winner most likely will meet Atsushi Kawase, Japan in the next fight. Kawase with very good movements and footwork, causing a challenge to Moiseev when  the meet in the 15th All Asia Championship some year back (2014) -before Moiseev teared him down after extension.

European Champion 2017, Emin Ismayilli, Azerbaijan, will be the next in the line up to notice. Facing Yosei Tada, Japan, and the winner will face three times Russian champion Vyacheslav Lesnikov – if we go by the odds.

The next block starts with Yerkebulan Beisembayev, Kazakhstan that will be the favorite in his first fight. If non surprising results appear, he will meet Russian  Vladislav Fefelov, runner up in the Russian championship 2015,16 and 3rd in 2017. Russia in with more top fighter, Omar Magomedov KWU, Royama/ Kyokushin-kan Russian champion and runner up in the European Championship 2016 Rengokai. Magomedov will have an another “outside entry” in Tatsuya Takenaka, Japan , Seishinkai, with podium results from the last three All Japan Weight Tournament JFKO.

Third block start of with Bulgarian lightweight fighter Georgi Lotarov. The runner up in European Championship Shin 2016, and a really strong 2nd place in the World Championship 2015 KWU. In this tournament was his way to the final very impressive! Lotarov earned victory against  to times world champion Dmitriy Moiseev, (now) European champion Andrius Miseckas, Ivan Komanov KWF European Champion and more, before he lost in the final.We think he will advance, and meet Russian fighter in the second round Vladimir Maximchev.

In the same block technician Konrad Kozubowski, Poland (runner up in the EC Shin 2017) will meet home-fighter Vitaliy Chekh, Kazakhstan. (runner up KWU World Champion 2015) Booth well merited, and this is a really interesting fight, and the winner could easily get marked in this fight to bring further in the tournament. The winner will face top Japanese fighter Harutaka Okazaki, winner of All Japan Open weight category JFKO among others.

The last block starts of with Sergo Armenian, Russia vs Yoshinobu Kumagai, Japan. The Russian fighter afflicted to the KWU, ruling European Champion Rengokai and European champion KWU 2016 runner up Russian Championship 2017. Down the road we think he will meet one of the naturally favorites: Dmitriy Moiseev, Kazakhstan. Will the home fighter reach the top for the third time? But if the fight happens, they both have to win their first two fights of course.

This is an really tight category with many young up and coming fighters, so we can get some surprises in the results. In this category we are also getting to know more and more “new” fighters, since they has been “to light” for the -70 kg category that has been used from before. New fighters can really make it interesting, and even so that we have our favorites – we gladly welcome new!