Irakli Zirakashvili, current 95 kg world champion at East vs West after his victory against Sasho Andreev, is preparing to defend his title for the first time against Georgi Tautiev at the East vs. West 15. During qualifying in Georgia, he gave an interview to Engin Terzi, who was there.
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His opinion on Georgi Tautiev, his next opponent at East vs West 15
When asked by Engin about his state of form, Irakli expressed full confidence, affirming that he feels constant improvement with each competition. He emphasizes that his progress is even faster because of his youth, and that the results are visible, both in his performances and physically. As for his opponent, Irakli believes that Georgi Tautiev does not deserve a direct match for the title and that he should have climbed the ladder before reaching this match. Tautiev would have accused him of fearing this confrontation, but Irakli says he is ready to prove, during their duel on November 2, that the level at East vs West is higher than what Tautiev has experienced until then.
Engin Terzi then mentions that some doubt Irakli's victory, in particular because of the fragility of his wrist, which failed him in previous fights against John Brzenk, Ongarbaev and Dadikyan. Opposite, Georgi Tautiev is renowned for being impossible to force into a hook, which is a testament to the strength of his wrist. Irakli admits to having identified this weakness and working to correct it. He adds that this problem manifests itself less when he fights at 95 kg rather than 105 kg. Levan, his training partner, has also noticed progress at this level.
Irakli is not worried about Tautiev's imposing size, who stands at almost 2 meters, nor his larger forearms and hands. He explains that during setup, the rules require fair hand alignment, which will force Tautiev to adjust his position. However, he recognizes that Tautiev is an excellent top roller and that, to win, he will have to demonstrate versatility using several techniques. If he thinks he has more power and a better top roll, his plan B is to opt for the press if the setup does not work in his favor. Engin recalls that Tautiev showed great resistance to the “flop press” during his match against Sagov, adding an extra challenge to this decisive fight.
Irakli's plan for the future
Engin Terzi goes on to ask Irakli who he would like to face next, assuming a win against Tautiev. Without hesitation, Irakli expresses his desire to take revenge against Todd Hutchings, but this time in the 95 kg category. According to him, their levels are now equivalent, and with his experience of the first confrontation, he is convinced that he knows how to beat him. His main objective would be to control Hutchings' hand in order to neutralize his powerful overhand. For Irakli, this potential match would be the most important of his career.
His overall plan is clear: defeat Tautiev, then Hutchings, before returning to the 105 kg category to face other high-level opponents.
East vs West 15 predictions
Irakli also shares his predictions for the other East vs West 15 matches. As for the fight between Devon Larratt and Petrenko, he is betting on a victory for Devon. According to him, even if Petrenko has greater power, Devon could take advantage of the setup to gain a strategic advantage. He thinks Devon will look to wear Petrenko down before taking control of his hand, which would seal the outcome of the match. If Irakli were to face Devon in the 105kg weight class, he would choose to stay at 95kg to preserve his endurance and prevent Devon from tiring him out and taking control.
For the duel between Genadi Kvikvinia and Michael Todd, Irakli recognizes that Genadi is no longer quite the same since his bad biceps injury, but he remains a warrior with great combat intelligence. Even when he is not in optimal shape, Genadi is capable of delivering impressive performances, as has already been seen several times. Irakli therefore believes that Genadi will give everything he has and that the match will be extremely close against Michael Todd.
Irakli's opinion on the Jerry Cadorette vs Levan Saginashvili match
As for the highly anticipated match between Jerry Cadorette and Levan Saginashvili, Irakli thinks that Jerry could have his chances if Levan finds himself in a bad position or makes a mistake. However, he points out that Levan is not only exceptionally strong physically, but also very intelligent strategically. Irakli is confident that Levan will know exactly what to do to win, applying an approach similar to the one Ermes Gasparini used against Jerry, to neutralize his style and secure victory.
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