ruth901
The Battle of Baroque martial arts event returns. New tournaments and familiar faces promise an exciting night full of surprises on April 25th.
Fulda – New disciplines, old challengers: The countdown is on, next Saturday evening (April 25th) it will be that time again: The fifth edition of the regional martial arts event will take place in the Fulda Esperanto Hall – and has some innovations in store for its visitors.
Five years of the “Battle of Baroque” – whether the two organizers – kickboxing world champion Sergej Braun and Patrick Franz (Nahkauf) – would have dared to dream of that at the first event? “It’s amazing how the event has developed over the years – and above all how popular it still is,” says Franz happily.
Kickboxing and karate: Exciting innovations in the “Battle of Baroque”
Together with the kickboxing world champion Braun, he is in the middle of the final preparations. Because: Even though some processes have become automated over the years, one thing has not changed: the excitement. “It will probably always stay,” smiles the Fulda native and adds: “But that’s part of it.”
It starts on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. with the first fights, in which primarily regional fighters get into the ring. “Right from the start, it was important to us to promote our own regional young talent and give them a stage,” explains Franz. Admission begins at 4 p.m.
After a half-hour break (7-7.30 p.m.), the main program will begin, which includes 13 fights. The two “casting fights” kick off, in which two boxing newcomers, who have been prepared by professional trainers over the past few weeks, compete against each other.
Four-man tournament also in karate
The first highlight follows immediately afterwards: Since Sergej Braun doesn't have to defend his World Championship belt this year, the Battle of Baroque makers have come up with a new format: the four-man tournament. Four kickboxers will first compete in the semi-finals and then in the grand finale in the fight for the new Battle of Baroque belt.
One of them is 34-year-old Braun, whose preparation is going “great,” as Franz explains. “Since his fight in Japan was canceled at short notice, Sergej was able to fully focus on this task.” The grand finale will finally take place at the end of the evening.
What is also new is that in addition to the four-man tournament in kickboxing, there is also one in karate. “Sergej grew up with the sport of karate. So we are going back to his roots, want to give our viewers an insight into a new sport and thus show how diverse martial arts is,” said the Fulda native. And here too the Battle of Baroque belt will be presented at the end.
In addition to numerous innovations, there will also be well-known processes and faces: Domenik Arnold from Flieden, a face well known in the region, will enter the ring. After he made his professional debut in November 2024 He will fight his seventh professional fight on Saturday and will face the strong Issam Faiz from Bonn.
Tickets and press conference
Tickets can still be purchased at advance booking offices (including Brauns Gym, Goldene Nadel, Nahkauf), and there will also be a contingent available at the box office. Anyone who would like to take a closer look at the fighters and ask questions if necessary is invited to the public press conference next Friday at 5 p.m. in the Krah&Enders mini car dealership in Fulda's Kohlhäuser Feld.
“After losing the world championship fight in February, we are even more motivated than ever to deliver a strong performance in the ring,” explains Arnold’s coach Alex Hergert, who has accompanied the 21-year-old since day one. “We analyzed the mistakes, worked on them and are absolutely ready for a great fight in front of our home crowd.”
There will also be a “great fight in front of a home crowd” for Oleksij Atahmanchuk. The Hünfelder met Damian Gurtek (Brauns Gym) at the Battle of Baroque two years ago and won on points. The rematch takes place on Saturday. “It will be a strong fight, the boys are fit and will give their all in the ring,” said organizer Franz happily.
