Kim's boxing or Lee's brawling?
Stamina, a weak point for both, may decide the bout
The mixed martial arts promotion TFC has finalized a heavyweight matchup between "Grim Reaper" Kim Nam-shin and "Baekdusan" Lee Ho-jun.
The organizer announced Tuesday that the bout will serve as the second main-card fight at TFC 24, set for Oct. 23 at the event hall on the third floor of the Textile Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
The two fighters bring sharply different styles into the cage. Kim is a rare elite boxer-turned-fighter in the heavyweight division, while Lee is a mixed martial artist from Korea Top Team, one of the country's leading MMA gyms. Kim has competed in MMA promotions such as Road FC and DOMVS. However, he suffered a lopsided loss to Heo Jae-hyeok in Road FC, and his defeat to Myeong Hyun-man in DOMVS came under boxing rules.
Lee holds a record of 1 win, 3 draws and 5 losses. Counting his three amateur bouts, he brings 12 fights' worth of experience, including matchups against top-tier opponents such as Oh Il-hak and Choi Won-jun. That experience is a big reason Lee is favored heading into a contest fought under MMA rules.
Kim, a graduate of Incheon Physical Education High School who spent six to seven years on a corporate boxing team, clearly holds the edge in boxing skill. He throws punches from a variety of angles and is adept at managing danger in tight spots. Even against Lee, who has a strong chin, a boxer's precise punches to the body and jaw could prove dangerous.
Stamina is expected to be the ultimate deciding factor. It is a chronic issue among lower-tier domestic heavyweights, who tend to slow down and go longer stretches without throwing punches as the rounds wear on. Lee, whose style relies on intermittent rushes to accumulate points, will need his consistent conditioning work to pay off.
The organizer said the key questions will be whether Kim, true to his elite boxing background, can use footwork to keep Lee at bay and rack up points. Another question is whether Lee can close the distance with his trademark power and turn the fight into a brawl.
Matchups built around this kind of intrigue add to the fun of watching a card. The event has also already locked in a bout between popular influencer-fighter Seol Young-ho and Japanese veteran fighter Yuta Watanabe.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
