I have not seen the tape of the fight.....YET - but here is the press release from Japan:
At the beginning of tha match Maeda kicked Karelin and tackled him. But Karelin caught Maeda and fixed full
nelson hold. Maeda injured his neck and could't fight well. Karelin threw and tookdown Maeda some times. But
those were no point in this fight.
Maeda caught Karelin's right ankle and tried a submission hold in the middle of the first round. Karelin escaped
the rope and was given one lost point. Karelin tried reverse waist lock lift and throw, what we call "Karelin's lift" in
the end of the first round. Though that was no point, Maeda dropped from his neck and accepted big damage.
Karelin took the very offensive and gave Maeda two lost(escape) points by head and arm lock in the second
period. So Karelin was a winner. Though he couln't beat Maeda K.O. or tap out, it was obvious who won. Maeda
was repatriated from the ring being supported by two young wrestlers with ice to his neck. He accepted very strong
damage. Karelin showed his strength to many Japanese martial arts funs.
Karelin's talk after fight:
Maeda's kicks were very strong and it is possible to remain damage after. I would pay attention Maeda's kicks,
so my tactics was to contact with him. It was first time for me to fight in this kind of fight. I felt strong tension and
uneasiness. Especially submissions and kicks were very terible for me. When my anckle was caught, it was very lucky
for me to escape the rope. If I couldn't escape the rope, it was possible to tap out.
I thoght I would attack him and took his stamina away in the first round and would decide a victory in the
second round. But I was very tired and could't do. Since it was diffirent from my usual fight, I couln't do as usual.
The biggest pressure was a lot of spectators(17,048 people).
This was my first professional bout, so I was satisfied with this result. Though I could't win by K.O. or Tap out,
the victory was worthy.
I won't fight in this kind of fight in near future. Since the revel of this fight in Japan is very high, I have to
practice special training if I attend this kind of fights. I aim at a fourth gold medal at the Sydny Olympic and want
to devote myself to train greco-roman wrestling from now to the Sydny Olympic.
Wrestlers of Rings will probably challenge me. But I won't fight them at least as far as the end of the Sydny
Olympic. I will tell a challenger to train enough to the Sydny Olympic.
