The following was posted on the Japanese Kyokushinkaikan website regarding the lead up to the America’s Cup 2007…
As the tournament is coming to the next day, many fighters came to NY from Brazil and other many countries. Last tournament champion Andrews Nakahara and Ewerton Teixeira, who were in the second last year and won the city tournament four times in a row, talked their hopes.
Andrews Nakahara
I was happy that I became a champion last year and it was a good experience for me, but I can’t say it made me confident with myself.
Not only as I, anyway won’t consider I am stronger than Ewerton just from the result. This year we do our best and fight, and if I can win, then I can be confident with myself.
Ewerton Teixeira
However people see it, I lost the game and he won the game. At the final fight of the last year’s tournament, he hit me on my face. It’s not just a bad luck or mistake. It should have come from some reasons of mine. As I learned this lesson before the world tournament and I could train and fight for a year, I was very lucky. I will do my best to be a champion. It will be a big step for the world tournament.
Other
As well as Teixeira and Nakahara, Eduardo Tanaka from the same Brazil team as them is standing in front of them. In world weight type in 2005, despite of people’s expectation, he lacks of his move’s sharpness. But he he has recovered fully and his techniche and physical strength.
Andrey Chilcoff, who is going to fight with him, and who is only 19 years old, has strong thrust and kicking techniche. He is considered to be stronger than Osipov. It will be a good fight with Tanaka, who also has a strong thrust. Emil Costov’s deciple Zahari Damyanov (21 years old), Claive Corderio (21 years old ) etc.. we will expect good fights for those young fighters
