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Vitaly Gurkov

From Alfawiki
Vitaly Gurkov
Born (1985-03-27) March 27, 1985 (age 41)
Belarus
Occupation(s)Muay Thai kickboxer, musician
Years active2001–present
Known forSeven-time amateur world champion in Muay Thai; K-1 World MAX 2010 East Europe champion; Kunlun Fight 75kg tournament winner

Vitaly Hurkou (; born March 27, 1985) is a Belarusian Muay Thai kickboxer competing in the welterweight division, currently based in Minsk and representing Patriot Gym. As a distinguished seven-time amateur world champion in Muay Thai, he claimed the K-1 World MAX 2010 East Europe crown and presently fights under the Kunlun Fight promotion. Beyond his athletic career, he serves as the frontman for the rock group Brutto.

Amateur career

Vitaly has played a prominent role on Belarus’s national Muay Thai squad. His first international triumph came at the 2001 I.F.M.A. European Championships, followed by a gold medal in the 61 kg division at the 2003 I.A.M.T.F. World Championships held in Bangkok when he was just 17 years old. From 2004 through 2008, he amassed four W.M.F. world titles (2004–2007), alongside victories at the 2004 W.K.P.F. World Championships and the 2006 W.A.K.O. European Championships.

In 2008, Vitaly secured a silver medal at the I.F.M.A. World Championship during the Busan TAFISA World Games, falling to Ukrainian fighter Petr Nakonechnyi in the final bout. He rebounded impressively in 2009 by capturing gold at both the I.F.M.A. European and World Championships, overcoming Marcus Öberg and avenging his earlier defeat to Nakonechnyi en route to victory. The following year, he earned silver at the I.F.M.A. World Championships but clinched gold at the European Championships hosted in Italy. His amateur accolades include nine World Championship medals—seven gold and two silver—as well as three European Championship golds across weight classes ranging from 61 kg to 71 kg.

On July 30, 2017, Gurkov made history by becoming the inaugural gold medalist in the 75 kg Muay Thai category at The World Games held in Wroclaw, Poland.

Professional career

After an accomplished amateur tenure, Gurkov advanced into professional ranks. In 2007, he triumphed at the W.M.C. Brute Force 8 Judgment Day - 72 kg tournament in Melbourne, Australia, where he defeated Australian Greg Foley in the final match. The following year, he participated in qualifiers for The Contender Asia Season 2 Muay Thai reality series in Chelyabinsk, Russia, where he bested Petr Nakonechnyi in the semi-finals but was stopped by TKO in the final by reigning 75 kg I.M.F.A. World Champion Artem Levin. Additionally, he finished as runner-up in the 2009 Tatneft Cup within the 70 kg division.

Gurkov made a notable impression at the K-1 World MAX 2010 East Europe Tournament on March 19 in Minsk, Belarus. He earned victory by unanimous decision against Zamin Guseynov to claim the tournament title and secure a spot at the prestigious K-1 World MAX 2010 Final 16. There, he faced then-champion Giorgio Petrosyan and was defeated by unanimous decision. Soon after, his run ended early at the Izuzu Thai Fight Muay Thai event after a loss to Petchmankong Petchfocus.

During the 2012 Thai Fight 70 kg Tournament, Gurkov advanced past Fares Bechar in the quarter-finals on October 23 and Antero Hynynen in the semi-finals on November 25 before falling to Buakaw Banchamek in the final held December 16.

On January 25, 2014, Gurkov captured the WBC Muaythai World Super Welterweight (-69.8 kg/154 lb) title by decision against Kem Sitsongpeenong during Ring Wars in Milan, Italy. He was slated to face Tony Hervey at Kickboxing Empire II in Las Vegas on March 8, 2014; however, Hervey was replaced by Jaseem Al Djilwi, whom Gurkov defeated via third-round TKO.

In 2017, Gurkov affiliated with Banchamek Gym and debuted at Kunlun Fight 62 with a decision victory over China’s Nurla Mulali on June 10 in Bangkok. On November 5 of that year, he won an eight-man tournament at Kunlun Fight 66 held in Wuhan, China, overcoming Nurla Mulali, Arthit Hanchana, and Hossein Karami.

On July 27, 2019, Gurkov became the first competitor to secure two Kunlun Fight titles at 75 kg by winning his second tournament crown in Beijing, China.

Professional

Amateur

  • World Games
    • Competed in the -75 kg category at the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland
    • Participated in the -71 kg division at the 2013 World Games held in Bangkok, Thailand
  • International Federation of Muaythai Associations
    • Earned numerous gold and silver medals at European and World Championships from 2001 to 2014, including:
      • Gold in -75 kg at the 2014 European Championships
      • Gold in -71 kg at the 2013 European Championships
      • Silver in -71 kg at the 2012 World Championships
      • Gold in -71 kg at the 2011 World Championships
      • Gold in -71 kg at the 2010 European Championships
      • Gold in -71 kg at both the 2009 World and European Championships
  • World Muaythai Federation
    • Four-time World Champion spanning from 2004 to 2007 across various weight divisions in Bangkok, Thailand
  • World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
    • Achieved gold at the 2006 W.A.K.O. European Championships -67 kg (Thai-Boxing)
  • Other amateur accolades include:
    • Gold medalist at the 2004 W.K.P.F. World Championships
    • Gold winner at the 2003 I.A.M.T.F. World Championships -61 kg

Fight record

|- |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2019-07-27 || Victory || align="left" | Saiyok Pumpanmuang || Kunlun Fight 81 75kg World Tournament Finals || Beijing, China || Unanimous Decision || 3 || 3:00 |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2019-07-27 || Victory || align="left" | Wu Sihan || Kunlun Fight 81 Semi-finals || Beijing, China || KO (Body Punch) || 2 || |- |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2019-07-27 || Victory || align="left" | Yiliyasi || Kunlun Fight 81 Quarter-finals || Beijing, China || Unanimous Decision || 3 || 3:00 |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2018-10-22|| Defeat||align=left| Mergen Bilyalov || Kunlun Fight 78 Semi-finals || China || TKO (Right Hook to Body) || 1 ||1:08 |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2018-10-22|| Victory||align=left| Tan Xiaofeng || Kunlun Fight 78 Quarter-finals|| China || TKO|| || |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2018-08-05|| Defeat||align=left| Jonatan Oliveira || ACB KB-17 || Russia || TKO (Referee Stoppage) ||2||0:33 |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2018-02-03|| Defeat||align=left| Zhang Yang || Kunlun Fight 69 || China || Extra Round Decision ||4||3:00 |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2017-11-05|| Victory||align=left| Hossein Karami || Kunlun Fight 66 Final || China || Decision ||3||3:00 |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2017-11-05|| Victory||align=left| Arthit Hanchana || Kunlun Fight 66 Semi-finals || China || TKO|| || |- style="background:#CCFFCC;" | 2017-11-05|| Victory||align=left| Nurla Mulali || Kunlun Fight 66 Quarter-finals || China || Unanimous Decision ||3||3:00 |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2017-06-10 || Victory ||align=left| Nurla Mulali || Kunlun Fight 62 || Bangkok, Thailand || Unanimous Decision ||3||3:00 |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2016-12-11|| Victory ||align=left| Mergen Bilyalov || PFC Silk Road Hero 2016|| Chongqing, China || Unanimous Decision ||3||3:00 |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2014-03-08 || Victory ||align=left| Jaseem Al Djilwi || Kickboxing Empire II || Las Vegas, USA || TKO (Right knee to body and punches) ||3||2:06 |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2014-01-25 || Victory ||align=left| Kem Sitsongpeenong || Ring Wars || Milan, Italy || Decision ||5||3:00 |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2012-12-16 || Defeat||align=left| Buakaw Banchamek || THAI FIGHT Final,70 kg Tournament Final|| Thailand|| Decision||3||3:00 |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2012-11-25|| Victory||align=left| Antero Hynynen|| THAI FIGHT Semi-finals,70 kg Tournament|| Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand|||||| |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2012-10-23|| Victory||align=left| Fares Bechar|| THAI FIGHT Quarter-finals,70 kg Tournament|| Bangkok, Thailand||Decision||3||3:00 |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2012-06-28|| Defeat||align=left| Shamil Abdulmedzhidov||| Dictator FC||| Moscow, Russia||| Unanimous Decision||3|||3:00 |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2010-10-25|| Defeat||align=left| Petchmankong Petchfocus||| THAI FIGHT Final 8||| Bangkok, Thailand||| Decision|||3|||3:00 |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2010-10-03|| Defeat||align=left| Giorgio Petrosyan||| K-1 World MAX Final16 Part2||| Seoul, South Korea||| Unanimous Decision||3|||3:00 |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2010-08-29|| Victory||align=left| Jong Hyun Ko||| THAI FIGHT Final16||| Bangkok, Thailand||| TKO (Referee Stoppage)||3|| |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2010-03-19|| Victory||align=left | Zamin Guseynov||| K-1 World MAX East Europe Tournament Final||| Minsk, Belarus||| Unanimous Decision||3|||3:00 |- ! style=background:white colspan=9 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |( continued with wins over Enriko Gogokhia and Lukasz Szul on same day) | ... [Additional fights omitted for brevity] | |

| (Selected highlights) | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2017-07-29|| Win||align=left | Vasyl Sorokin||| I.F.M.A. World Games Finals -75 kg||| Wroclaw, Poland||| Decision|| | ! style=background:white colspan=9 | Awarded I.F.M.A. World Games Gold Medal -75 kg. | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |'16 I.F.M.A. World Championships Gold -75 kg; '14 IFMA European Championships Gold -75 kg; '13 IFMA European Championships Gold -71 kg; '11 IFMA World Championships Gold -71 kg; '09 IFMA World and European Championships Gold -71 kg. | (Additional amateur fight results omitted for brevity) | |}

See also

External links

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