When the highly acclaimed Judo Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii couldn't secure a visa to fight on the Strikeforce Challengers show April 1st, the promoters didn't panic. They had an ace up their sleeves in undefeated knockout artist "The Monsoon" Lorenz Larkin. Larkin stepped in and will face kickboxer Scott Lighty on the main card of the 'Wilcox vs Damm' event Friday night on Showtime.
Larkin first gained serious recognition fighting for the MEZ Sports Pandemonium promotion in Riverside, California. He steamrolled his way to the upstart promotion's heavyweight title, defeating Mike Cook via brutal TKO midway through the second round.
At just 24 years old, Larkin currently holds an 8-0 professional record with an impressive five clean knockout victories. Larkin has a diversity in his attack, having knocked opponents out with elbows, head kicks and punches.
After the jump, we'll preview his upcoming fight with Scott Lighty and show a brief video interview with Larkin as he prepares for Friday night.
Larkin's opponent, Scott Lighty has the striking credentials to stand toe-to-toe with him. Lighty trained alongside legends like Chuck Liddell and John Hackleman at "The Pit" in Arroyo Grande, California. He also fought briefly as a kickboxer in K-1 in 2004 and 2005. Lighty holds a 6-1 career record with his sole loss being a doctor stoppage to fellow Strikeforce light heavyweight Antwain Britt in December of 2009.
Lorenz was given about three week's notice to prepare for Lighty and he's confident in his team's game plan. Look for Larkin to pressure Lighty with aggression and possibly make the kickboxer uncomfortable by clinching him against the cage. This fight has the possibility of becoming a very entertaining brawl. Age could also be a factor in this fight as Larkin is eight years younger than Lighty despite having more professional fights.
Larkin has spent the majority of his career at heavyweight but at 6'0, 220 lbs, the drop to light heavyweight wasn't very difficult. Larkin feels this will be a huge opportunity to make a name for himself and as he stated in the press release, he's "excited, in good shape, and confident."
Lorenz "The Monsoon" Larkin Pre-Fight Interview & Photoshoot at Hostility Clothing