K-1`s upcoming event, K-1 Beyond, promises a lineup of high-level kickboxing action, featuring three championship contests. The event is scheduled for May 31st in Yokohama, Japan.
In the Cruiserweight division, current champion and 2023 Openweight Grand Prix winner Liu Ce will defend his K-1 title. His challenger is the undefeated Thian De Vries, the Enfusion World Light Heavyweight champion. Liu has an impressive record within K-1, while De Vries enters with a remarkable streak of 11 consecutive wins, all coming via knockout or technical knockout. This matchup for the K-1 Cruiserweight belt is expected to be a highly explosive contest.
The Super Welterweight title will also be on the line, with reigning champion Ouyang Feng, a Sanda specialist, defending his belt against Darryl Verdonk. Verdonk, a former Enfusion Lightweight world champion, has built momentum with consecutive wins since his quarterfinal elimination at last year`s K-1 World Max World Tournament. Champion Ouyang Feng comes into the fight on a five-fight winning streak from Wu Lin Feng. He also competed in the K-1 World Max Tournament last year but withdrew after his first-round victory due to injury.
The Super Lightweight championship features a rematch between Shu Inagaki and the current Thai champion, Yodkhunpon. Yodkhunpon recently retained his Super Lightweight title with an impressive TKO win over Hayato Suzuki. He is also scheduled for another fight against Meng Gaofeng at Wu Lin Feng 553 on March 29th before facing Inagaki. Shu Inagaki, considered a top prospect, lost their previous encounter in a hard-fought contest and will be looking to make strategic adjustments to defeat the experienced Thai fighter in this rematch.
Gareth Tenby