Kruger gets title shot
Brakpan kickboxing club Xtreme Kickboxing Technologies (XKT) fighter JP Kruger stole the show at EFC Africa 22 at Carnival City, on Thursday, August 15.
The multiple kickboxing champion now has a chance to claim the middleweight title after earning a title shot by defeating Tumelo Maphutha, in the main bout of the evening.
The main fight was always going to produce excitement and was dubbed a “striker versus striker” encounter.
Initially both fighters showed each other tremendous respect, allowing space and careful long strikes in the opening stages of the first round.
This was until Maphutha executed a powerful and painful kick to the knee that wounded Kruger.
Maphutha went in for the kill, delivering ground and pound that seemed certain to see the curtain fall on Kruger’s fight.
The XKT fighter was not prepared to let this happen, though, and produced a sudden armbar that finished the fighter known as “The Truck” by submission, 4:19 into the first round.
Kruger’s coach, Shihan Raymond Phillips, said that the fight was extremely nerve-racking and described the winning armbar as “beautiful”.
He praised his fighter for the way he turned the fight around.
“Once they went to ground I knew that we had a chance, as JP had been working a lot on blocking punches and protecting his face,” he said.
Phillips’ other fighters who competed at EFC 22, Chimmy van Winkel and Cedric Doyle, were both defeated.
Van Winkel was defeated via tapout by Morne Prinsloo, 3.06 into round one, and Cedric Doyle was defeated via submission (triangle) to Nkazimulo Zulu, 4:32 into round two.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” said Phillips.
“It is important now for the guys to get back into the gym and work hard.”
Other results from EFC Africa 22:
Roelof Scheepers defeated Koko Hammer via TKO (GnP), 1:15 into round 1
David van Schalkwyk defeated Donald Nzirawa via unanimous decision.
Josh Muller defeated James Saks via submission, 1:19 into round 1.
Themba Gorimbo defeated Juan Lubbe via submission (armbar), 3:48 into round 1.
Christophe Walravens defeated Ian Visser via KO, 4:54 into round 1. (winner of fight of the night.)
Fraser Opie defeated Mohamed Aly via TKO (GnP), 1:51 into round 1.
Barend Nienaber defeated Amos Hlatswayo via unanimous decision.
Gareth Buirski defeated Donnovan Wilken via submission (Kimura), 3:41 into round 1.
Frederich Naumann defeated Dallas Jakobi by KO, 0:51 into round 2. (winner of KO of the night.)
