Badr Hari - Top Kickboxer Aims to Become World Boxing Champ

Badr Hari is a highly ranked kickboxer (78 wins (64 KO's) & 11 losses)who is intending on making the move to boxing under the wing of Nazim Richardson.

He's 27 years old and his measurements match up well with the modern HW's being 6ft 6, 16.5 stone, not fat and in shape with a 83/84'' reach.

He's extremely aggressive and wild and will have to work on defence to reach the top but given the current HW climate he'd probably do well.

His main problem is himself as he's very hot tempered, he's been disqualified from more than one fight for illegal blows to a downed opponent, fighting at press conferences and going to prison for assault!

For anyone interested, heres a highlight clip of him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVnNrbtLuoM

Kickboxing is very different to boxing but as he's at the very top of that sport and with a top trainer, do you think he can succeed in a poor HW division?

Looks aggressive and I'm sure would be able to build a following quite quickly if he boxes in the same way.

Seems to pack power, his punch technique didn't seem great but to have natural power he could be taught.

Could do very well in the current crop and if he fights the right people and with the same intensity he could do well.

All this is guaged from the video posted!

Thanks for your thoughts Huw,

I agree he is quite raw! He does have technique but gets so impatient in trying to knock the guys' head off he abandons it and just goes into Mayorga mode!


I think if he stays on the straight and narrow outside of the ring and gets a trainer like Richardson, which has been widely rumoured then he'll make his way into contention in a 2-3 years after the Klits have retired so should have a weak playing field to compete against.

I watch a lot of K1 and Badr Hari is a beast. I think he would breathe some live into the heavyweight division. It would interested to see how he would fair, lets be honest, theres not much going on in the heavyweight division at the moment.

Hope he makes it all the way - He is fantastically aggressive and If as I suspect he gets decked by one of the top 5 - he might bring a liveliness that hw need right now.

Glad to hear this. He is a very good K 1 fighter and exciting to watch but he will find out that boxing!!!

whole new ball game.

He has beaten taller and bigger guys then Vitali. Seme Schilt.

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:Glad to hear this. He is a very good K 1 fighter and exciting to watch but he will find out that boxing!!!

whole new ball game.

Oh I agree and in almost any other era I'd have too many concerns but as the HW is so weak and the Klits likely to be retired by the time he's ready to challenge for a title he might find he doesn't have to be that great!

We'll see though as he's a very temperamental and may not go into boxing at all.

I've known about this guy for a while.

As already mentioned, very temperamental. I doubt whether he'd have the discipline for boxing but would definitely be an exciting addition if he could make that transition.

Pele Reid was a kickboxing champion not saying his in this guys league but we all know what happened to him.

The transition is huge does this Badr Hari take a punch from a full Heavyweight who has trained specifically to punch, can a kickboxer have his old habits trained out of him, bit dubious myself.

Weren't the K-bots kickboxing champs before 'switching codes'? Not exactly a bad blueprint......

Nico the gman wrote:Pele Reid was a kickboxing champion not saying his in this guys league but we all know what happened to him.

The transition is huge does this Badr Hari take a punch from a full Heavyweight who has trained specifically to punch, can a kickboxer have his old habits trained out of him, bit dubious myself.

Eh Pele Reid was the last person to KO Vitali

http://www.boxnews.com.ua/en/news/1770/2005-08-09/The-Man-Who-Knocked-Vitali-Klitschko-Out-What-Really-Happened-

Would this work the other way?

Could a boxer become a kickboxing world champ?

Who has the best chance of success in kickboxing?

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

Nico the gman wrote:Pele Reid was a kickboxing champion not saying his in this guys league but we all know what happened to him.

The transition is huge does this Badr Hari take a punch from a full Heavyweight who has trained specifically to punch, can a kickboxer have his old habits trained out of him, bit dubious myself.

Eh Pele Reid was the last person to KO Vitali

http://www.boxnews.com.ua/en/news/1770/2005-08-09/The-Man-Who-Knocked-Vitali-Klitschko-Out-What-Really-Happened-

That was kickboxing,totally different ballgame,talking about the boxer Pele Reid who got knocked out by John McDermott,Julian Francis,Sprott,Norris and a novice called Jacobs.

I've started boxing recently following a long term injury. Previous to that I kickboxed for several years. There are a number of obvious similarities but there are quite a few diferences. One of the things I've noticed in sparring so far is that you tend to get a lot more shots to the body in kickboxing, and more to the face in boxing. Body condition seems to be even more important in kickboxing as it's easy to walk into kicks. Bobing and weaving is a bigger part of boxing, as in kickboxing you can duck into a kick or knee. There also differences in guard position, stance and footwork.

Overall I'd still say being good at one will definitely give you a good head start at the other. Whether this holds up an elite level I'm not so sure. This guy does seem to be in good condition and highly agressive. Punches always look a lot more wild in kickboxing. A lot of this is obviously due to fighters traing them less but I believe some of it is due to the kickboxer having to focus on more attacking/defensive aspects during the fight itself i.e. looking for kicking opportunities, watching out for sweeps etc. Most good kickboxers punching technique will look better if they're just told to punch

Would be happy if he came in.

Is big, strong, fast and aggressive. He would have. A huge following and although he doesn't have great technique and when he has his opponents in trouble I'd like to see him knock them out without using his knees.

His opponents his fought don't have the technique of his possible opponents. If he can throws bombs for 12 rounds with enough accuracy then he could be a hit.

badr is average at best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxSiWSKfwJI&feature=related

that is the first fight against the guy he had the press conference fight with.

badr has great leg kicks but he has no defence against punches. he gets punched in the face so much.

watch the end of the fight as badr gets knocked out by a great kick.

just to add badr has no chin whatso ever. he got knocked down by a jab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j36ErLZFWp0

lovely_london wrote:just to add badr has no chin whatso ever. he got knocked down by a jab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j36ErLZFWp0

Only watching this one as at work and in his defense he had just prior to the jab been hit with a knee and left hook to the face which I suspect did more damage.

huw wrote:

lovely_london wrote:just to add badr has no chin whatso ever. he got knocked down by a jab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j36ErLZFWp0

Only watching this one as at work and in his defense he had just prior to the jab been hit with a knee and left hook to the face which I suspect did more damage.

maybe you are right but it was the ab which sent him to the floor and not the knees etc but i admit they would have had an affect.

but u have seen numerous fights of his and he has no defence. he would not have any affect on the hw scene. a fat peters or a crying arreola would beat him let alone a klitschko or david haye.

Horrible "sport", I don't like that at all. Thuggery.

How can we discuss this and not discuss how Matt Skelton transcended both sports!! Seriously, though, Matt did pretty well until; he went on to world level where he well and truly found out.

He carries his left hand way too low when he throws the right. That will need to be sorted out quick smart or he's in a whole heap of trouble from a decent right hand counter.

Union Cane wrote:Horrible "sport", I don't like that at all. Thuggery.

Why do you consider it thuggery? Too violent? Too brutal? Not skilled in your eyes?

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:Why do you consider it thuggery? Too violent? Too brutal? Not skilled in your eyes?

I don't view kneeing / kicking someone as a skill, perhaps it's just me but I have no interest in this whatsoever.

lovely_london wrote:

huw wrote:

lovely_london wrote:just to add badr has no chin whatso ever. he got knocked down by a jab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j36ErLZFWp0

Only watching this one as at work and in his defense he had just prior to the jab been hit with a knee and left hook to the face which I suspect did more damage.

maybe you are right but it was the ab which sent him to the floor and not the knees etc but i admit they would have had an affect.

but u have seen numerous fights of his and he has no defence. he would not have any affect on the hw scene. a fat peters or a crying arreola would beat him let alone a klitschko or david haye.

It would depend on his promoter. If he had someone that would put him in against brawlers without a huge punch he would quickly be noticed as an exciting fighter. Once that happens he will get a following and probably more opportunity than he should off the back of that.

He would need to be promoted carefully but could see him getting to Euro type level before he is really pushed then it will depend how much he has refined both his attack and defense.

Union Cane wrote:

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:Why do you consider it thuggery? Too violent? Too brutal? Not skilled in your eyes?

I don't view kneeing / kicking someone as a skill, perhaps it's just me but I have no interest in this whatsoever.

The knee in kickboxing is supposed to be the most powerful move in all unarmed martial arts (boxing has the most powerful punch). Good old 'Fight Science'.

With most of these guys getting a kick in can be as skilled as a boxers punch with different variations and as in boxing requires very good timing.

Wouldn't tend to watch unless there isn't anything on but the level of skill for the top guys is very high.

Union Cane wrote:

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:Why do you consider it thuggery? Too violent? Too brutal? Not skilled in your eyes?

I don't view kneeing / kicking someone as a skill, perhaps it's just me but I have no interest in this whatsoever.

Whether you appreciate it or not, it's definitely a skill

Hence "perhaps it's just me"...

PatientFist wrote:

Union Cane wrote:

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:Why do you consider it thuggery? Too violent? Too brutal? Not skilled in your eyes?

I don't view kneeing / kicking someone as a skill, perhaps it's just me but I have no interest in this whatsoever.

Whether you appreciate it or not, it's definitely a skill

I know, too many boxing fans are over defensive for boxing and belittle anything else. If blows inflicted from the lower limbs is not required to have any skill then surely any tall person could potentially be the best?

I'm not being over defensive for boxing at all, I was simply stating that I have no interest in two blokes kicking and kneeing each other.

I see now that I have erred, I should have simply ignored the thread completely.

Valero's Conscience wrote:

PatientFist wrote:

Union Cane wrote:

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:Why do you consider it thuggery? Too violent? Too brutal? Not skilled in your eyes?

I don't view kneeing / kicking someone as a skill, perhaps it's just me but I have no interest in this whatsoever.

Whether you appreciate it or not, it's definitely a skill

I know, too many boxing fans are over defensive for boxing and belittle anything else. If blows inflicted from the lower limbs is not required to have any skill then surely any tall person could potentially be the best?

I fully respect anyones right not to enjoy watching kicking, traditional martial arts in general or any other sport. I myself don't particuarly enjoy watching MMA or Muay Thai as sports. I do however greatly appreaciate that there is a huge amount of skill involved, even when it looks like they're just rolling around etc. I wouldn't really choose to watch it as I don't find it entertaining, I wouldn't belittle it though because of that

Union, it wasn't your opinion about having no interest that erred me and it shouldn't ever as it's your opinion and no one else's'. What did slightly annoy me was your comment about the kneeing having no skill.

My thoughts are exactly that of PatientFists' comment above, it's like Rugby and American Football. I enjoy watching Rugby and hate watching A. Football. Both have some similar characteristics and you could say that Rugby is more refined and A. Football more extreme i.e. like between boxing and Kickboxing/MMA but I wouldn't ever say A. Footballers have less skill and even though I don't understand it, it's obvious they're highly skilled in what they do.

No offense intended Union

Agreed, no offence meant. Looks like me and Valero are singing off the same hymn sheet. I have encountered a degree of snobbery from within boxing towards kickboxers and other more traditional martial arts on numerous occasions, something that I have never noticed going in the other direction. One of my current boxing coaches, who is a bit of an idiot, has a tendency to drop it into snide comments whenever I do something he doesn't like