Men Middleweight -75 kg category with many profiles from different regions. Japan, Europe and Central Asia have some very highly merited fighters in this category. In this category one must be ready for top fight in the first round already. This is an example when one have a championship with only qualified fighter in the line up – the fuse are lit..

－75㎏ MEN MIDDLEWEIGHT

Twenty-seven fighters ready in this hard-packed category. We can see the change of generation in this category as well; a change that had been smoother if the Covid19 had kept everything normal. Not many from the 2017 line up are in the tournament this time. Retirement or the fact that one did not make the qualification could also be a reason.

European Champion this year Lasha Ozbetelashvili / Georgia taking on the winner of Khatip Ayupov / Kazakhstan – Kyokushin-Kan and Yota Kaneoka / Japan. We have a feeling that both are on the way up – not heavily merited – yet, but been noticed. Ayupov recently made it into 3^rd place in the 6^th IFK World Championship – lost to country fellow man Yerkebulan Beisembaev, also in this draw. It was the second fight Ayupov turned some heads, when he manage to get a win over multiply world champion Artur Arushanyan. One can draw a parallel for Yota Kaneoka, (being the youngest fighter in this category, 18 years) securing a win over heavily favorite Yuto Eguchi, in the 53^rd All Japan Open. So this fight will be open for predictions, this one is hard to tell. How much will the victory cost?

With Lasha Ozbetelashvili, waiting the length of the fight will matter. That said, we do also know that especially in the early rounds the decision comes fast. Anyway, Lasha Ozbetelashvili do have a good possibility to move on from this opening being one of the real favorites. Ozbetelashvili established in the top level in Europe, being European Champion last three years – EFKO EC champion 2020 and WKO EC champion in 2021 and 2022. The skills and experience Ozbetelashvili possesses are proven to be at the very best level, we would not be surprised if he will bland in among the top in this championship.

Severyn Palii / Ukraine went all the way in the European Karate Cup, secured the victory in the category with twenty fighters. Middle East will be the other region, with Riyadh Fatal / Iraq. We do not know anything about this fighter. In cases like this, we tend to lean towards the known fighter – but we count no one out. The winner will go up against the winner of Charles Goelen / Canada – North American region vs Hotaka Yoshizawa / Japan. Hotaka Yoshizawa is one of the fighters from last edition. With four fights and three wins – 6^th place. Notable wins against strong nations as Lithuania, Kazakhstan and Russia. Finalist in the 7^th JFKO All Japan Open this year – and he will be the favourite in this match up. A very possible fight between Palii and Yoshizawa in the second round.

Junki Ochi / Japan – another profiled fighter. Representing Japan several times in world championships. Attended in 2017, lost in the second fight against Salahat Hasanov / Azerbaijan who became world champion. This is a top fighter, entering the All Japan Open weight categories podium ten years ago and kept it warm since then. Top 32 in 12^th World Championship, top 8 in All Japan Open. With this background, he will be a force to reckon with. Diego Fernando Rosa Coelho South America region / Brazil will face Ochi. Coelho has been the representative of Brazil in the World Championship held in Japan – 2015 and 2019, but cannot give us the same result as Ochi naturally. The winner will face Igor Lamot / Poland and it I fair to say that we believe Japan seems to pull through this one.

Igor Lamot vs Junki Ochi – if it happen, smells like a more typical Europe vs Japan set up. Lamot very psychical he is always very physical in good shape, strong forward pressure he brings the fight to you. Ochi has strong tempo changes along with movement and variety. One could say that Ochi is ahead on stronger merits – but Lamot has been doing his things good lately and climbed to the EC podium two last years. We’ll see who gets the best out of it, it could be that the match will be a perception of two different styles – then the question is how one will be rewarded by the judges.

Javier Zamora / Spain from the Region Europe raises a little question. Any qualification for this tournament has been I the EC or in the European Karate Cup. Zamora have no EC record from 2020 or 2021 (lost second fight both times) did not attend in the European Karate Cup. Important to point out: we are not “after” Zamora; we search for the mechanism that gives a fighter the right to enter this tournament.

Zamora will face s representative from the South Africa: Philasande Mchunu. A thing to notice is that Mchunu gives away quite some weight – weighed in at only 67 kg. Usually he fights in the -70kg category, as he did this spring at The 10th Matlosana Cup. This will be a factor going up against Zamora at 74kg. We think Zamora will be the strongest, if not Mchunu can surprise. The challenge for the winner will be far more demanding in the next fight where Yerkebulan Beisembaev / Kazakhstan from Central Asia region awaits. Beisembaev maintains a very high level in every way. He brought this up to third place in 2017. The possibly chances for Beisembaev vs Ochi/Lamot are very high.

Haruto Fujita / Japan will face Kamil Berkowicz / Poland. Berkowicz entered the EC podium this spring, showing good physical aspect and very good spirit. Showed ability to fight his way into matches even though he was under heavy pressure from the start. That and more must come on the table vs Fujita. Fujita movable sideways / round movement with a high pace topping it all. The winner will face Ali Hayder / Sweden – at it was Hayder that stopped Berkowicz in the EC.

Ali Hayder are one of the fighters that really grows. One can see from one tournament to another that improvement are ben done. He can go hard and fast – just what it takes to win. The technique of Hayder is smooth, he can deliver powerful techniques with little effort and mix kicks and punches very well. Ali Hayder has been on the EC podium last three years, and recently also the World Championship podium of IFK.

Davit Mskhaladze / Georgia made it to the final in the European karate Cup. The 2^nd place was a great achievement but also on his way, he did some notable achievements. In his second fight, he pulled out a victory against Domas Sutkus / Lithuania. Sutkus with KWU world and EC medals was the heavy favourite – but Mskhaladze took the victory. South American representative Rivas Blas / Chile is Unknown for us. The same setting happen in net fight: Tholinhlanhla Zungu / South Africa vs Takeshi Midori / Japan. We believe Midori will advance and face Mskhaladze in the second round. Takeshi Midori will be a hard nut to crack for the up and coming Mskhaladze.

The next fight is a pure European settle: Milán Móczó / Hungary vs Mikheil Tsiklauri / Georgia. This is for sure a young blood vs veteran match up and will be very interesting to follow. Milán Móczó has been quite active, and been fighting all over Europe. He is a good example of how well prepared today’s young athletes are. This is a result of how you put together the various components of a fighter.  Ultimately, makes up a total all-round performer at the top level. Technically as well as physically.

Mikheil Tsiklauri has been fighting for so many years and have tons of experience. How he will use this in this fight will be very interesting to see. Wining EC title with ten years in between – that is something! Can the three times EC champion outsmart the young challenger? And at what cost?

Next fight Andrey Andreev / Bulgaria – Kyokushin-Kan will face Eiji Kambara / Japan. Andreev has been working his way up in KWU/IFK ranks, 3^rd place in KWU EC last year and 6^th in the IFK world championship earlier in the summer. Kambara does not have a certain record, but being in the team of Japan one can easily assume that the level are approved. It will be an experience for Andreev going up against a Japanese styled fighter that can play in if it goes to “battle of the styles”

Ryuki Ushirosako / Japan. This is as good as you can get. Winning the All japan Open at age 15 tells us that this is something beyond the ordinary. Ushirosako will face the winner of Anton Zimarev / Kazakhstan vs Dhurgham Alshaher / Iraq – Middle East Region. Alshaher is for us unknown, so we fall towards Zimarev and advancement for him. We know that Zimarev has very good results fighting in U-categories, and despite being 19 years, he hold good experience. It is a good possibility to pick up a thing or two facing Ryuki Ushirosako on the mat!