Jan Soukup

Jan Soukup (born September 17, 1979) is a Czech karateka and kickboxer who competes in the heavyweight division. Soukup's first noteworthy accomplishment was a third-place finish at the European Kyokushin Championships in 2003 and he followed this by winning the All-Japan Kyokushin Championships the next year. After finishing as runner-up in the European Championships and in third place in the European Open in 2005, Soukup had his most successful year in 2007 when he won the European Championships and lost to Ewerton Teixeira in the final of the 9th Kyokushin World Open. Beginning in 2008, he embarked on a career in kickboxing which included a stint in K-1.

Jan Soukup
Born (1979-09-17) September 17, 1979
Prague, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia
(now Czech Republic)
Other namesCzech Samurai
Nationality Czech
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight100.0 kg (220.5 lb; 15.75 st)
DivisionHeavyweight
StyleKyokushin Karate
StanceOrthodox
Fighting out ofTokyo, Japan
Prague, Czech Republic
TeamIchigeki Academy
Lanna Gym
Kakutogi Academy
TrainerJayson Vemoa
Rank  2nd degree black belt in Kyokushin
Branch Chief for International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan in Czech Republic
President of the Czech Kyokushin Karate Association
Years active2001-2011, 2014-present
Kickboxing record
Total22
Wins15
By knockout5
Losses7
By knockout2
Draws0
last updated on: November 23, 2011
Jan Soukup
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Men's Kyokushin
All-Japan Championships
Tokyo 2004 +90 kg
European Championships
Uzhhorod 2003 +90 kg
Varna 2005 +90 kg
Volos 2007 +90 kg
European Open
Belgrade 2005 Open
World Open
Tokyo 2007 Open

Career

Karate career (2001–2007)

Jan Soukup began his karate training in Shotokan at the age of eleven before moving to Kagoshima, Japan in April 2001 to study Kyokushin in an uchi-deshi program. After training for four years and attaining the rank of second dan black belt, which he earned by completing a twenty-man kumite among other tests, he returned to the Czech Republic and opened his own Kyokushin dojo in August 2005.[1]

During this period, Soukup also achieved respectable finishes in numerous tournaments; in 2003, he finished in third place in the +90 kg/198 lb division at the 17th European Kyokushin Championships, in 2004 he won the 21st All-Japan Kyokushin Championships at +90 kg/198 lb and 2005 saw him take bronze at the 5th Kyokushin European Open and silver at the 21st European Kyokushin Championships.[2]

Soukup had his most successful year in 2007 when he won the 21st European Kyokushin Championships at +90 kg/198 lb and finished as runner-up in the 9th edition of most prestigious tournament in the sport, the Kyokushin World Open. He avenged his loss to Arthur Hovhannisyan, who beat him in the final of the European Championships back in 2005, in the semi-finals before losing out to Ewerton Teixeira via low kick ippon in the final.[3]

Transition to kickboxing (2008-present)

Making the transition to professional kickboxing, Jan Soukup debuted in his native Czech Republic in 2008 with a first round knockout of Tonda Ungerman. Following this, he was recruited by K-1 and returned to Japan to train under Jayson Vemoa at the Ichigeki Academy where his sparring partners included Glaube Feitosa, Takumi Sato and former foe Ewerton Teixeira.

In his first K-1 match, Soukup faced reigning K-1 Heavyweight Champion Keijiro Maeda in non-title bout at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 in Tokyo Final 16 Qualifying GP in Tokyo, Japan on August 11, 2009. He was dropped with a short right hand towards the end of round two before being knocked out with a right hook in three.[4]

After rebounding with a unanimous decision win over Espedito da Silva at Ichigeki Brazil 2009 in São Paulo, Brazil on October 3, 2009,[5] he returned to K-1 to fight Tsutomu Takahagi in a non-tournament match at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final in Yokohama, Japan on December 5, 2009, and won by a second consecutive unanimous decision.[6] In his third and final outing in the promotion, Soukup lost to Mladen Brestovac by way of unanimous decision after being knocked down with a third round knee strike in the tournament reserve match at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Bucharest in Romania on May 21, 2010.[7]

Soukup lost his second fight in a row when he dropped a unanimous decision to Jhonata Diniz after surviving knockdowns in rounds one and three at Ichigeki Brazil 2010 in São Paulo on July 31, 2010.[8]

After over a year out of the ring, Soukup made his comeback to enter the RISE Heavyweight Tournament 2011 held at RISE 85 in Tokyo on November 23, 2011.[9] He had a close fight with Fabiano Cyclone in the quarter-finals but scoring a knockdown in round two was enough to earn him the nod via majority decision and advance to the semis where he faced Makoto Uehara. This was another closely contested affair and was called a majority draw after the regulation three rounds. With the fight going to an extension round to decide the winner, Uehara did enough to take a unanimous decision and eliminate Soukup from the tournament.[10][11]

Championships and awards

Kickboxing
  • 2014 Yangame's Fight Night Heavyweight Tournament Champion +94,1 kg [12]

Kyokushin
  • All-Japan Kyokushin Championships
    • 21st All-Japan Kyokushin Championships +90 kg/198 lb Champion
  • European Kyokushin Championships
    • 17th European Kyokushin Championships +90 kg/198 lb 3rd Place
    • 19th European Kyokushin Championships +90 kg/198 lb Runner-up (Lost to Artur Hovhannisyan)
    • 21st European Kyokushin Championships +90 kg/198 lb Champion (Defeated Petar Martinov)
  • Kyokushin European Open
    • 5th Kyokushin European Open 3rd Place
  • Kyokushin World Open

Shotokan Karate
  • Shotokan Karate Bohemia Cup
    • Shotokan Karate Bohemia Cup 2000 (Prague Team) 3rd Place
  • Shotokan Karate Scandinavia Cup
    • Shotokan Karate Scandinavia Cup 1999 3rd Place
  • Shotokan Karate World Cup

Kickboxing record
Kickboxing record
15 wins (5 KO), 7 losses, 0 draws
DateResultOpponentEventLocationMethodRoundTimeRecord
2019-11-02Win Timur Gastashevsenshi 11MoscowDecision (Unanimous)43:0015-7
2018-07-26Win Peter AertsYangames 6Prague, The Czech RepublicDecision (Unanimous)33:0014-7
2018-04-19Loss Hao GuanghuaXFN: Czechia vs ChinaPrague, The Czech RepublicDecision (Unanimous)33:0013-7
2016-10-08Loss Freddy KemayoW5 Grand Prix "Legends in Prague"Prague, The Czech RepublicKO313-6
2015-12-19Win Donegi AbenaVečer Bojovníků Thajského Boxu VII.[13]Liberec, Czech RepublicDecision (Unanimous)33:0013-5
2015-11-07Win Georgi FibichNight Of Warriors 8 [14]Liberec, Czech RepublicDecision (Unanimous)33:0012-5
2015-09-26Loss Ondrej HutnikMistroství ČR v K1 WAKO proPrague, Czech RepublicDecision (unanimous)33:0011-5
2015-07-30Win Luboš RaušerYangame's Fight Night 3 [15]Prague, Czech RepublicDecision (Unanimous)33:0011-4
2015-05-30Win Toni MilanovićObračun u Ringu 13 [16]Split, CroatiaDecision (Unanimous)33:0010-4
2015-04-25Win Mario JagatićNight Of Warriors 7Liberec, Czech RepublicDecision (Unanimous)33:009-4
2014-12-11Win Faycal HucinNoc VálečníkůKladno, Czech RepublicExt. R. Decision43:008-4
2014-07-31Win Radovan KullaYangame's Fight Night, Final FightPrague, Bohemia, Czech RepublicKO (low kicks)17-4
Wins Yangame's Fight Night Heavyweight Tournament Championship +94,1 kg.
2014-07-31Win Jiří HavránekYangame's Fight Night, Semi FinalsPrague, Bohemia, Czech RepublicKO (spinning hook kick)16-4
2014-07-31Win Peter BalážYangame's Fight Night, Quarter FinalsPrague, Bohemia, Czech RepublicKO (high kick)15-4
2011-11-23Loss Makoto UeharaRISE 85: RISE Heavyweight Tournament 2011, Semi FinalsTokyo, JapanExtension round decision (unanimous)43:004-4
2011-11-23Win Fabiano CycloneRISE 85: RISE Heavyweight Tournament 2011, Quarter FinalsTokyo, JapanDecision (majority)33:004-3
2010-07-31Loss Jhonata DinizIchigeki Brazil 2010São Paulo, BrazilDecision (unanimous)33:003-3
2010-05-21Loss Mladen BrestovacK-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Bucharest, Reserve MatchBucharest, RomaniaDecision (unanimous)33:003-2
2009-12-05Win Tsutomu TakahagiK-1 World Grand Prix 2009 FinalYokohama, JapanDecision (unanimous)33:003-1
2009-10-03Win Espedito da SilvaIchigeki Brazil 2009São Paulo, BrazilDecision (unanimous)33:002-1
2009-08-11Loss Keijiro MaedaK-1 World Grand Prix 2009 in Tokyo Final 16 Qualifying GPTokyo, JapanKO (right hook)31:201-1
2008-04-19Win Antonín UngermanGalavečer Bojovníků 2008Mladá Boleslav, Bohemia, Czech RepublicKO (left hook)11:221-0

Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

References
  1. 【K-1】8・11極真世界大会準優勝のソウクップ、K-1デビュー間
  2. "Kakutogi Academy profile". Archived from the original on 2013-08-28. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
  3. ヤン・ソウクップ弐段 第9回全世界空手道選手権大会準優勝
  4. K-1 World GP 2009 in Tokyo Quick Results
  5. ICHIGEKI BRASIL 2009 WYNIKI
  6. K-1 World GP 2009 Final Live Results and Commentary
  7. Freddy Kemayo Rebounds From Loss to Capture K-1 East Europe GP
  8. Diniz cometa sua vitoria sobre o tcheco Jan Soukup no Ichigeki Brasil 2010
  9. RISE 85 Preview: Breaking Down the RISE Heavyweight Grand Prix
  10. RISE 85 Results: Jaideep Wins HWGP, RENA defeats Kamimura, Komiyama defeats Wielzen
  11. RISE 85 Recap and Analysis
  12. Yangame´s Fight Night 2014 - reportáž a fotogalerie(in Czech)
  13. VEČER BOJOVNÍKŮ THAJSKÉHO BOXU VII.(in Czech)
  14. http://superkarate.ru/news/kyokushinkai/7406-jan-soukup-george-fibich.html(in Russian)
  15. Yangame´s Fight Night 3 - reportáž a fotogalerie(in Czech)
  16. Obračun u ringu: Remi Pretenija i Marjanovića, Delija uvjerljiv! Archived 2015-09-07 at the Wayback Machine(in Croatian)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.