Semmy schilt interview (from 2005)

[Martin H]

Interview made after the 2005 Final elimination.
http://kakuto.com/article.php?sid=10...rder=0&thold=0

"Setting up to win the championship of the Grand Prix", The Big Robot Fighter

”Both of them are strong. They might be the pivotal point of the final fight" Before the opening, Sadaharu Hasegawa, K-1 event producer said that the Semmy Schilt/Glaube Feitosa fight would be at the center of attention. They are both Karate-Men and tournament winners. Glaube won in Las Vegas, April 30. Semmy Schilt won in Paris, May 27th. They are feared and respected by other K-1 fighters. Tanikawa, the producer, expected that they would have some heavy exchanges.

But it was one-sided fight. Glaube could not get in close to Schilt. Schilt jabbed with his long reach, rocked him with knees to the head, and brought him down into the dust. He assaulted him in the corner in final round, and almost knocked him out. Schilt’s presence was a force much greater than just his size.

At 2m12cm, Schilt has strong destructive power in his punches and kicks. The "Big Fighting Robot" is getting ready for GP.



"Karate is my way and my life"


---Didn’t you dictate the fight from the opening?

Yes, I did. I made him fight my fight due to my good training and fight plan.



---You’re able to hit an opponent's head with your knee.

Yes, I am, it's a Karate knee.



---So are you going to use that attack again?

It depends! (hahaha)



---You’ve had a long Karate career, right? How do you think of yourself? Are you a Karate fighter or a K-1 fighter?

I think "I am a Karate fighter in K-1"! (laughs)



---So, what is "Karate" for you?

Karate is my way and my life. All my life and all training are connected to Karate.



---When did you start to learn Karate?

When I was 8. Usually you can't start Karate when you are 12, but I was big enough so I could. My dad learned Karate, he made me start.



---Oh? Didn't you like Karate when you started?

No, I liked it from beginning. I started to learn kicking with my dad, just like playing in my house.



---Didn't you like other sports?

I’ve only done Karate since then. I was thinking about changing to kickboxing when I was 14 or 15 years old, but my Mom disagreed and said, "You will get a black eye,so no!"(laughs)



---You joined a Seidokaikan summer camp this summer, right?

I like that kind of event. It's a good feeling to become single-minded in our efforts when doing something together. And you can meet lots of kids who work very hard. I really like to see and feel their aspect and mind.



---How did you feel to run by the sea when you joined the summer camp?

Usually I run in the woods, so it was the first time running by the sea for me, and I really liked it. I’m in good condition, so I never felt tired, but Musashi got tired when we ran together! (laughs)



---You are a "Karate K-1 fighter", right? So do you use Karate techniques even if you wear gloves when you fight in K-1?

I think all my techniques are from Karate. All my original points are from my Karate techniques.



“Bring the K-1 King into view, and be full of fight”



---The producer said, "Semmy Schilt will be the favorite to take the title", what do you think when you hear that?

I'm glad to hear that, but it’s up to me to make his expectations a reality.



---You chose to be in the 2nd match, and you said the reason why is, "The rest time is more important than the opponent”, right?

Yes I said that. In a tournament, every minute is valuable for me.



---I thought you chose that spot because Sefo was there.

He is one of the best 8, so it will not be easy for me to win. I'm sure he's dangerous, but I also have a chance to win.



---Ernesto Hoost said he thinks that you and Remy Bonjasky will be in the semi-finals.

It is possible. And we have already fought. (Semmy Schilt won by decision, 2003 July)



---What do you think if Hong Man Choi wins?

I think he is very strong.



---It will be a very dramatic fight if you and Choi fight, don't you think?

No, not for me! (laughs) But I think Choi must study low kicks more. Remy and other fighters who have a wide range of experience can knock him down with low kicks. He must practice blocking them.



---I think you are the only person who said "I will win" from the best 8 to be in the final.

As time goes on, I’m feeling it’s more possible that I can win. I feel like a fighting cock. I'm focused on winning. I sleep, wake up, do training, and eat, that's all I do everyday. I’m only thinking about being the K-1 Champion now.



He is the one who has the key to the finals in the tournament. We asked him to throw a knee for a photograph. Semmy Schilt did it just like he does in a real fight.

He’s a lefty, but he assumed a regular right fighting stance. His left jab and knee are strong, and that’s his secret weapon. He is tall like a high-rise building, and he attacks the head with jabs and knees. His image is just like that of a big robot.

"The top eliminator is Semmy Schilt", Tanikawa bets, but is he right??? In any case, Semmy Schilt is the guy who has key for the tournament, no doubt about it.