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Early Christmas Gift - K1 (Story Correction) In this article Early Christmas Gift - K1, it was edited to reflect that Hoost had been eliminated last year for this years event. That statement was incorrect. Hoost was eliminated this past October and not last year. The article has been changed to correct this error and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Sorry about that Al - My Bad
Ernesto Hoost got an early but well earned Christmas Present. Hoost became the first fighter to win the K-1 four times. But he had a little help on the way. After being eliminated from the K-1 semi-finals in October, Hoost was relegated to spectator for the finals. But due to a injury to Semmy Schielt, Hoost got a second chance. He replaced Schielt in the Quarter-finals. But in his first fight he would be fighting the same person who eliminated him this past October - Bob "THE BEAST" Sapp. Hoost seemed to have done his homework for the fight because he put Sapp down in the first round but couldn't finish him off. That would cost him. In round two, Sapp came back for revenge charging straight in with huge punches landing a right roundhouse that sent Hoost into the air. Hoost would have a hard time recovering. Sapp cornered him. Landed rights and lefts. Hoost was not defending himself well. The referee stepped in to stop the fight. But wait... Its not the end for Hoost. In the first
semi-finals bout, Ray Sefo was to fight Bob Sapp but once
again, luck is on Hoost's Sapp suffers a fracture to his hand. Hoost gets to step in and fight Sefo. This puts Hoost against Sefo in the First Semi-finals. Another stoke of luck was that Sefo delivered a simple low Thai kick that caught Hoost right on the knee but as Sefo pulls his kick in, he collapses to the ground in pain. Sefo is unable to continue. Hoost advances to the finals where he will face Jerome LeBanner who defeated Mark Hunt to make it to the finals. During their battle, LeBanner reopened a cut above Hoost's left eye in the second round. The cut was originally opened by Sapp. The fight was stopped to examine the cut. After a close examination, the doctor let the fight continue. Hoost looked lost - missing a kick which left him wide open and off balance. Somehow though, Hoost made it through the round. In the third round, Hoost delivered a kick, LeBanner blocked it but it caught him right on the elbow. LeBanner immediately turns away in pain. The referee gives him a standing count. They start up again and as soon as Lebanner gets hit on the elbow again, he turns away. Another standing count for LeBanner. Trying to recover and be strong, LeBanner tries to continue. But once again, after the first hit to that elbow, he has to turn away in pain. This time it cost him the fight. K-1 rules state that a fighter who takes three counts in one round in a tournament finals is declared a loser by Knock Out. So like I said in the beginning, Hoost got an early Christmas gift. Not to take anything away from his skills but this championship had a lot of lucky breaks in it. Congratulations to Ernesto Hoost.
Talk to you after the fights, Al Nava (12/10/02)
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