MOURAD Bouzidi is tipping Peter Aerts to win Saturday's K-1 Final - and says training with the heavyweight
legend is fuelling his own mission to reach the K-1 top.
Dutch heavyweight Bouzidi is fresh off a clinical first round stoppage of Hassan Gul in Eindhoven.
The 24-year-old quickly brushed aside the fleshy, overmatched Turk at the Indoor Sport Centre by pounding
out three eight counts - two from jumping knees.
And after putting a harsh points defeat to Goran Radonic behind him, the native of The Hague who gets regular
sparring with Aerts sees no reason why he cannot ascend the world's premier kickboxing ladder.
Bouzidi has already had a taste of the K-1 big time, reaching the semi-finals of the 2006 Asia Grand Prix
and losing a wafer-thin decision to K-1 Final qualifier Gokhan Saki in the Amsterdam tournament reserve match last
year.
And he is aiming to rise further up the rankings in 2009.
"It was a nice, comfortable win, I tried to finish it quickly to entertain the public and I hope they liked
it ," he told Fightnewz.net after defeating Gul.
"I've heard a lot of people say they didn't think I lost my last fight and I didn't either.
"The referee made a lot of mistakes and broke the fight too quickly and he didn't let me play my game.
"I'm happier that I won again and it's on to the next fight now. I'm hoping to fight in the qualification
for the K-1 next year and place myself up there in the rankings.
"I fought Saki and thought it should have gone to an extra round and look what has happened to him. The Japanese
told me: 'Don't change' after the fight, so why not me?
"I've signed with It's Showtime now and it's a very good move. I hope they make the opportunity for me to
move on in the K-1."
Well-rounded and skilful, Bouzidi is part of a new generation of heavyweights closing in on the
sport's old guard.
But he says age-defying Aerts is still setting the standard that he and everyone else needs to aspire to.
The Dutch Lumberjack is the hot favourite to win a fourth K-1 title in Yokohama
and Bouzidi is putting his money on him to beat Badr Hari and go on to regain the crown.
"What I've learned most from Peter is his character," he said.
"He is a really hard fighter who works a lot for it. Being a champion isn't just something that is given
to you, you must train for it.
"You see him and he trains really hard. He is 38 and has been part of K-1 for a very long time but he still
trains a lot and that is something that I've learned from him.
"I think he will beat Badr Hari and win the title. He is so strong and tough and went out to Japan early
to finish his preparation.
"I spar him all the time and I don't think my opponents will hit as hard as he does."
All eyes will be on Aerts and the K-1 final at the weekend, and Bouzidi said he will continue
to leave no stone unturned in his own quest to scale the pinnacle of the sport.
"I'm looking to improve all the time and I'm still learning, I only turned 24 a week before the Eindhoven
show," added the Team Kamakura fighter.
"If you aren't open to learning you won't be a champion. Mostly I'm a technical fighter and think a lot
and I'm a full-time fighter trying to do the best that I can."
