Kickboxers battle for world berth
Even with an undefeated professional record, kickboxer Rick Cheek appeared taken aback after being told the Bellagio sports book had installed him as the 9-5 favorite to win tonight's K-1 World Grand Prix.
Cheek is 19-0 but has not faced a great deal of elite competition.
"I don't know who decided that," the former Air Force boxing champion said at Thursday's news conference. "These guys have all fought before, and they're probably a step above me. But I do belong here, and I'm going to win."
The winner of tonight's eight-man tournament at the Bellagio will move one step closer to qualifying for the world finals in Tokyo.
Cheek will meet fellow American Imani Lee in his quarterfinal bout.
Lee dropped a decision in the first round of last year's Bellagio tournament when he was docked a point for striking a downed opponent, though he contended the punch never landed.
"This year, there will be no mystery punches, nothing to take away my victory," Lee said. "I'm here to win. I'm going to win."
The other quarterfinal in that half of the bracket has Alexandre Pitchkounov taking on Tsuyoshi Nakasako.
American Patrick Barry meets Rickard Nordstrand in the third quarterfinal matchup.
The winner of that matchup will take on the winner of the fourth quarterfinal matchup between Zabit Samedov and Esh'Chadar Brown Ton.
The winner of the tournament will have to win three bouts in one night to advance.
Some of the sport's bigger names also are on the card, but they will compete in single "superfights." Ray Sefo will meet Bjorn Bregy in one such battle.
Visa problems prevented Chalid Arrab from making the trip, so the two other superfights have been amended.
Stefan Leko now will take on "Mighty Mo" Siligia in a battle of two of the bigger names in the sport. Also, last-minute replacement Ariel Mastov will fight Petr Vondracek.
One of the three preliminary bouts will feature Las Vegan Ardra Hernandez, one of the stars of the Oxygen network reality series "Fight Girls."
Hernandez will square off with Van Milnes in the only female fight on the card.
The preliminary bouts begin at 5:30 p.m., with the tournament slated to begin at 7 p.m.
