Phil Fagan Fighter Analysis

"The Chief" Peter Graham is one of the fastest rising heavyweight kickboxers on the planet following his career as a former Australian heavyweight bare knuckle Karate champion.

2000 was a coming of age year for the Kyokushinkai Karate black belt. It was the year that the young man from Sydney made the transition from promising amateur to star professional with a series of exhilarating fights.

Before turning pro Graham captured the WKBF World Amateur Heavyweight title from New Zealand's Shane Wijohn, finishing his amateur career undefeated.

Graham turned pro in 2000 and attained instant success. He defeated a lacklustre Clay Aumitagi with ease, the accounted for Ben Hamilton in Hamilton's ill-fated comeback fight, and was finally ready for the big time.

The K-1 Oceania's faith in Graham as a drawcard was put to the test last September when Graham headlined the K-1 Oceania Dream against "The Supreme Fighting Machine" Gurkan Ozkan.

In one of the most anticipated contests of the year, Graham and Ozkan duked it out for four rounds, Ozkan relying on his ferocious hands and the calculating Graham chopping downstairs with debilitating leg kicks. In the end Ozkan made the classic mistake of trying to take and trade kicks from a Kyokushin Karateka and found his legs taken from under him, leaving referee Dave Hedgcock to step in and stop the fight.

Graham thus qualified for the K-1 Oceania 2001, but another test awaited him. In November Graham returned to Melbourne to headline in front of a capacity crowd at Festival Hall. There he became the first Australian to go ten rounds with the legendary Stan "The Man" Longinidis. Though losing by decision, Graham learnt more from that fight than any other.

Longinidis offered a rave review of Graham's fighting abilities, tipping him as a definite favourite for the K-1 Oceania 2001.

Will Graham live up to expectation? Under the tutelage of Alex Tui you know that Graham will give it a red hot shot. His first match is against old foe Phil Fagan who has beaten once before. Will it be a case of history repeating itself?


Fagan vs Graham

At a Glance

Punching: Fagan
Kicking: Even
Weight: Graham
Height: Fagan
Punch defences: Fagan
Kick Defences: Even
Knees: Graham
Power: Graham
First Round Explosiveness: Even
Stamina: Fagan
History: Graham

Tickets for the K-1 Oceania 2001 to be held at Crown Showroom on Saturday February 24 are now on sale through Ticketek 132 849


*** For more information contact MICHAEL SCHIAVELLO 0419 333 103 or email k1oceania@bigpond.com.au