The International Gala Fight Night SENSHI 32 Grand Prix will take place on July 11 in Varna, Bulgaria. The event features an elimination Grand Prix tournament in the middleweight division (up to 85 kg). Among the eight contenders competing for the SENSHI Grand Prix title, there is only one Bulgarian representative – Ali Yuzeir. He will face Joshua Akingbade of Ireland in one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the tournament.
Ali Yuzeir's Preparation and Studying His Opponent
"My preparation is going well. I mainly train with my coach Petar Petrov, but I also receive support from Dragomir Yordanov of Sports Club “Desant”. I train together with Zhulien Rikov, who will also compete at SENSHI on July 11. We have sparring sessions, and this is the last week I'll be sparring. Next week will be dedicated to cutting weight," Yuzeir said in an interview for the morning show "Bulgaria Sutrin".
According to him, studying his opponent is crucial to the outcome of the fight. The Bulgarian fighter explained that he will have to fight at close range because of his opponent's height, even though he usually prefers fighting at medium or long range.
"Before every fight, we study our opponent so we know both their strengths and weaknesses. We always have a Plan B as well," he shared.
Yuzeir added that he always looks for a knockout to finish the fight early and have more time to recover for the next bout.
Fighting in Front of the Home Crowd
"The responsibility is huge. This time I'll be fighting in front of my home crowd. The pressure is significant, and I have to perform well. The audience gives me energy when I'm walking to the ring, but once the fight begins, I only hear my coach and my opponent's coach. I always try to stay focused on them and avoid being distracted by the crowd," the fighter said during his appearance on Bulgaria ON AIR.
Yuzeir also revealed to the hosts and viewers of the morning show that his family is concerned because he could potentially have to fight three times in one evening if he progresses through the Grand Prix tournament.
"When I lose, I don't feel well for about a week, but everything passes once I get back into the gym," the fighter said when asked how he copes with defeats in professional sport. He added that his recovery time after demanding fights depends largely on whether he has sustained any serious injuries.
The full interview with Bulgarian kickboxer Ali Yuzeir is available on the Bulgaria ON AIR website.
SENSHI 32 Grand Prix is organized with the support of the KWU International Professional League and the special support of Armeec Insurance Company, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group – BMW Dealer, and St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding.
Media partners of SENSHI 32 Grand Prix are Boec.bg and Boec.com, Bulgaria ON AIR, MAX Sport, TrillerTV, Beyond Kickboxing, Gol.bg, Sportal.bg, Dir.bg, Topsport.bg, KWUSENSHI.com, KWUnion.com, KyokushinKarate.News, Fighto.News, and Fight Sports Insider 24/7.
