Badr Hari vs. Alexey Ignashov; a Battle of the Bad Boys

This weekend marks the open of the K-1 Heavyweight season in Japan, after last weekend saw the opening of the MAX season. Of course K-1 starts things off with a bang, with a show that might rival the K-1 World Grand Prix last year for sheer entertainment value. The most hotly anticipated bout is not one of the two marquee title matches, no, instead it is a battle between two unpredictable forces with their own storied K-1 careers. The first is the man of now, a man that is without a doubt a future K-1 World Grand Prix champion, Badr Hari. Dubbed both the "Golden Boy" and the "Bad Boy," Badr Hari has seen and done it all in his short career and risen at a meteoric rate amongst the elite of the kickboxing world. Of course we've seen the recent allegations that his temper has gotten the better of him again, but it all looks to just be speculation, as Badr Hari has truly turned over a new leaf and become a more mature fighter.

On the other hand is Alexey Ignashov, the Belarussian fighter known simply as the "Red Scorpion" for his iron chin and venomous, precision strikes. The fame and hype that Badr Hari is experiencing right now is where Ignashov was five years ago; seen as the future of K-1's Heavyweight division and a breakout star. Ignashov had a problem though, as his newfound fame and lifestyle of partying caught up to him, leading to a serious problem with alcohol abuse that he still doesn't seem all that comfortable to talk about.

This fight is redemption for both men, as for Badr Hari this could mean getting revenge from a loss earlier on in his career in the It's Showtime! ArenA in 2003 where Ignashov knocked him out in the third round and continued on to have a fantastic 2003 while Badr still meddled away on the smaller shows. For Ignashov this is a chance of redemption, win or lose. Not since 2004 has Ignashov been able to live up to his own hype, finding himself in a bit of a vodka haze. Ignashov flew out to Japan and asked Tanikawa in person for a fight, any fight, to get back into the K-1 mix, as he feels himself ready. Ready or not, he takes on Badr Hari and the future of the Red Scorpion's career hangs in the balance (K-1 preview vid after the jump)

SBN coverage of FieLDS K-1 World Grand Prix 2010