Andy Souwer's first loss in over four years in the Shoot Boxing ring to new-comer Toby Imada may have come with good reason as he revealed post-fight that he carried a possibly severe back injury into Tuesday's S-Cup semi-final bout.
Team Souwer's personal physician is yet to perform a full diagnosis on the three-time S-Cup and two-time K-1 MAX champion but suspects that Souwer suffered a herniated disc in his quarter final KO victory over WMC Welterweight Champion Bovy Sor Audomsorn.
"(I had back pain) in the first round in the first fight. I didn't know what exactly the problem was or what the reason was that I had the pain. I don't want to make excuses but I think it was a big reason why I was not able to fight my own game (against Imada). I'm not saying that I lost because of an injury but I can tell you that I didn't even warm up because of the pain," Souwer revealed in a post fight interview.
Souwer was clearly not himself in his semi-final match with Bellator's Toby Imada. Souwer is a fighter that is typically slow to start but he never really got up to speed in the later rounds and Imada's domination in the clinch was surprising even given the American's grappling roots.
"I feel disappointed of course. Buakaw fought smart and so now he is the champion. I will come back stronger than I was. My first fight wasn't the fight that I had in mind. It's not an excuse with the injuries but it's a fact that can cost you the title, that can cost you the fight. But no excuses any more. I feel disappointed and Buakaw did well. On to the next goal."
Despite coming runner-up in the 2009 K-1 World MAX, Souwer did not compete in this year's tournament due to his commitments to Shoot Boxing and because FEG were slow to book fighters announce the format of this year's K-1 MAX World GP. Shoot Boxing's S-Cup is a biannual event and so next year Souwer's sights will be set on K-1 and Giorgio Petrosyan.
Team Souwer's personal physician is yet to perform a full diagnosis on the three-time S-Cup and two-time K-1 MAX champion but suspects that Souwer suffered a herniated disc in his quarter final KO victory over WMC Welterweight Champion Bovy Sor Audomsorn.
"(I had back pain) in the first round in the first fight. I didn't know what exactly the problem was or what the reason was that I had the pain. I don't want to make excuses but I think it was a big reason why I was not able to fight my own game (against Imada). I'm not saying that I lost because of an injury but I can tell you that I didn't even warm up because of the pain," Souwer revealed in a post fight interview.
Souwer was clearly not himself in his semi-final match with Bellator's Toby Imada. Souwer is a fighter that is typically slow to start but he never really got up to speed in the later rounds and Imada's domination in the clinch was surprising even given the American's grappling roots.
"I feel disappointed of course. Buakaw fought smart and so now he is the champion. I will come back stronger than I was. My first fight wasn't the fight that I had in mind. It's not an excuse with the injuries but it's a fact that can cost you the title, that can cost you the fight. But no excuses any more. I feel disappointed and Buakaw did well. On to the next goal."
Despite coming runner-up in the 2009 K-1 World MAX, Souwer did not compete in this year's tournament due to his commitments to Shoot Boxing and because FEG were slow to book fighters announce the format of this year's K-1 MAX World GP. Shoot Boxing's S-Cup is a biannual event and so next year Souwer's sights will be set on K-1 and Giorgio Petrosyan.