Top-flight trio heating up top of lightweight division

The lightweight division (155lbs/70kgs) has long been one of the flagship weight classes in kickboxing. Being the lightweight champion is in many respects second only to being heavyweight champion in the eyes of many fans, due to the depth of talent at this weight and the storied history of this weight class.

Robin van Roosmalen is the current GLORY World Lightweight Champion, having taken the belt from Davit Kiria at GLORY 18 OKLAHOMA in November 2014. He has defended it twice, once against Andy 'The Machine' Ristie at GLORY 20 DUBAI and then again at GLORY 25 MILAN against Sittichai Sitsongpeenong of Thailand.

Controversy ensued after that latter fight. He had battered his way through the GLORY 22 FRANCE Lightweight Contender Tournament in June – stopping Kiria along the way – but couldn't bulldoze the tough and technical Van Roosmalen in the same fashion.

Nonetheless, he gave Van Roosmalen the hardest fight he has had in the GLORY ring and after five rounds many fans felt that the decision should have gone Sittichai's way. It didn't; it went Van Roosmalen's way and furious debate was sparked as fans on each side debated the merits and scoring of kicking (Sittichai) and punching (Van Roosmalen).

At GLORY 28 PARIS earlier this month, Sittichai fought his way through a second Lightweight Contender Tournament to secure another title shot. He beat Kiria in the semi-finals and then met Marat Grigorian in the final. They had a very hard fight, with Sittchai winning the decision after three rounds.

Interestingly this decision also sparked some debate, with a number of fans seeing the fight as a win for Grigorian rather than Sittichai. Whichever fighter fans sided with, it was generally agreed that the win was narrow rather than decisive, for whichever fighter was being argued in favor of.

And so the result is a closely-balanced top-tier in the lightweight division. Van Roosmalen holds wins over Sittichai (G25) and Grigorian (G15) but both were close decisions, and now Sittichai holds an equally close win over Grigorian. It is starting to look like the lightweight division has a top three who are each capable of beating each other on any given day.

Some settlement of the question may come at GLORY's upcoming event in Amsterdam, Netherlands this summer. Van Roosmalen will face Sittichai for the title in a re-run of their Milan meeting, with both sides hoping for a decisive outcome.

“I think this upcoming rematch with Robin is very interesting because the last fight was controversial, everyone was thinking that Sittichai won so it's interesting, it's nice to have the rematch,” says GLORY matchmaker Cor Hemmers.

“It was a very strong tournament [in Paris] but that was as we expected. Marat Grigorian showed good skills, great impact. I think at this moment Robin, Sittichai and Marat are the strongest fighters in the world at this weight.”