K-1 World GP 2004 in Nagoya Update

June 6th, 2004

Nagoya Rainbow Hall

 Nagoya, Japan

Sportsnavi is reporting that three professional boxers will participate in K-1's June 6th event.  Former IBF

cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov (33-2, 29 KO's), former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer

(33-5-1, 25 KO's), and boxer turned K-1 regular Frans Botha are all scheduled to participate against K-1

kickboxers. Among those mentioned as possible opponents for them - Ernesto Hoost, Alexey Ignashov,

and Peter Aerts.  Recent K-1 MMA Romanex winner Gary Goodridge was also mentioned as a possible

opponent for Aerts. There are also possible bouts between Martin Holm & Marvin Eastman and Aziz

Khattou & Petr Vondrachek. 

Jirov was undefeated until he faced four time world champion James Toney (64-4-2, 43 KO's) in April of

2003. Jirov dropped a 12 round unanimous decision to Toney and lost his title. Jirov rebounded for two more

wins before moving up to heavyweight and losing a close, close 10 round decision in his last bout to Joe

Mesi (29-0, 25 KO's) in March of this year.

Ray Mercer is scheduled to box on June 8th so his participation is suspect. Mercer has won three in a row

since losing to Wladimir Klitschko (42-3, 39 KO's) in June of 2002 via sixth round TKO for the WBO

heavyweight title. Mercer's last bout was in February of this year when he defeated Steve Pannell by third

round TKO.

Possibles for June 6th:

- Cyril Abidi

- Peter Aerts

- Frans Botha

- Shannon Briggs

- Marvin Eastman

- Gary Goodridge

- Martin Holm

- Ernesto Hoost

- Alexey Ignashov

- Vassiliy Jirov

- Aziz Khattou

- Ray Mercer

- Petr Vondrachek

- Carter Williams

card subject to change

(5/23/04)