GLORY, the global leader in stand-up combat, kicks off the new year with a bang: The King vs. The Goliath. On 30 January 2021, Rico Verhoeven and Jamal Ben Saddik will face each other in this long-awaited heavyweight world title fight.
Headlining GLORY 77, the grudge match between Rico ‘The King of Kickboxing’ Verhoeven (56-10, 17 KO) and Jamal ‘The Goliath’ Ben Saddik (35-7, 28 KO) promises a true spectacle.
The two rivals have a long history. Standing 6’8″ and weighing 260 pounds, the Moroccan-Belgian knockout artist Ben Saddik made his professional debut opposite Verhoeven, defeating the future champion – 21 years old at the time – by TKO. Verhoeven took his revenge by knocking out Ben Saddik in the fifth round of a legendary title fight at GLORY Redemption in 2017.
Since their first meeting, Verhoeven has become a larger-than-life figure, establishing himself the undisputed heavyweight ‘King of Kickboxing’ and one of the most accomplished heavyweight kickboxers of all time. His run of dominance inside the GLORY ring includes a 18-fight winning streak and seven title defenses against the world’s best fighters.
Leading to this championship opportunity, the 30-year-old challenger last won the 8-man heavyweight tournament with a broken hand at GLORY 62 in December 2018.
Likely the most important fight of his career, Ben Saddik will not only get his second shot at the belt but the opportunity to settle the score once and for all.
More details about the fight card will follow soon. Exclusively avaible on pay-per-view, GLORY fans will be able to purchase, stream and watch GLORY 77