Václav Sivák (born 27 May 1999) is a Czech professional kickboxer who competes in the welterweight division. He is the current WAKO-PRO World Light Welterweight Champion.
Biography and career
Václav Sivák was born in Ostrava, Czech Republic and grew up with in an excluded Romani locality in Ostrava-Vítkovice. Sivák started practicing karate at the age 6 however, he was often disqualified for hitting too hard. At the age of 11, he transitioned to Muay Thai. At the age of 16 he moved to Hamr Gym in Ostrava. Under the guidance of his coach Viktor Petrlík he amassed a 94–5 amateur kickboxing record.[1] As a teen, he belonged to the local Roma gang but thanks to his father, he got into martial arts.[2]
In 2019 Sivak became the first Czech to win a gold medal at the senior WAKO World Championships.[3] Sivak next faced Lukas Mandinec at XFN Muay Thai Evening X on 9 February 2019. He won the fight by unanimous decision.[4] Sivak extended his winning streak with an extra round decision win over Mochamed Machaev at XFN Legends on 29 March 2019.[5]
On 19 April 2018, Sivák faced Fang Feida in collaborative event between XFN and Wu Lin Feng.[6] He won the fight by decision.[7]
Sivák faced Benjamin Horvath at Double Red XFN on 14 December 2019. He won the fight by a first-round knockout, stopping Horvath with a left knee to the body.[8]
Sivák faced Ali El saleh at the Night of Warriors event on 19 December 2020, in his sole fight of the year. Sivak won by first knockout flooring his opponent with a left hook to the body.[9]
On 22 January 2021, it was announced that Sivák would face Bailey Sugden at Oktagon Underground: Last Man Standing on 27 February 2021, in the quarterfinals of the Oktagon 70 kg tournament. The bout was contested at 70 kilograms, 6.5 above Sivák's usual weight.[10] He won the fight by unanimous decision. Despite winning the quarterfinal bout, he was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a leg injury.[11]
On 18 March 2021, Sivák revealed that he would make his Road to ONE debut against Marian-Florin Soare at Night of Warriors 17 on 24 April 2021.[12] He won the fight by a first-round knockout, staggering Soare with a knee to the body, before finishing him with a flurry of punches.[13]
Sivák was booked to face Fouad Djebari Fouad Djebari for the WAKO Pro World K-1 (-64.5 kg) title, his first major professional title, at Yangames Fight Night 9 on 29 July 2021.[14] He withdrew from the bout the week before, in order to fully heal from the injuries he sustained in his fight with Sugden.[15] The title fight was rescheduled for Night of Warriors 4 on 20 November 2021.[16] Sivák won the fight by unanimous decision.[17]
Sivák faced Viktor Mikhailov at Fair Fight XVI on 12 February 2022.[18] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[19] Sivák faced Alexis Laugeois at RFA 5 on 29 October 2022, in his second kickboxing bout of the year.[20] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[21] Sivák next faced Vladimír Lengál at Heroes Gate 26 on 20 November 2022. He won the fight by unanimous decision.[22]
Sivák faced Patrik Záděra for the vacant RFA K-1 -66 kg championship at RFA 7 on 17 December 2022.[23] He won the fight by unanimous decision. Sivák scored the sole knockdown of the fight in the third round, as he dropped his opponent with a head kick.[24]
Sivák was expected to challenge Kiamran Nabati for the Fair Fight featherweight (-65 kg) title at RCC Fair Fight 20 on 18 February 2023.[25] He withdrew from the bout on 10 February 2023, after suffering a hand injury.[26]
Sivák made his first RFA K-1 -66 kg title defense against Ruslan Toktharov at RFA 10 on 13 May 2023.[27] Although Toktharov missed weight by 2 kg at the official weigh-ins, the fight was still contested as a title bout, with the stipulation that Toktharov couldn't weigh more than 68 kg on fight night. Sivák won the fight by a fourth-round technical knockout.[28]
Sivák was expected to make his first WAKO Pro World K-1 Light Welterweight (-64.5 kg) title defense against the former WAKO K-1 titleholder Eddy Nait Slimani at Yangames Fight Night on 29 July 2023.[29] He withdrew from the fight on July 28, as a pre-fight examination revealed he had two displaced bones in the hand he previously injured while preparing for the Nabati bout.[30]
Sivák faced Christopher Hopp at RFA 14 on 2 December 2023.[31] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[32]
Sivák made his first WAKO-PRO World K-1 Light Welterweight (-64.5 kg) championship defense against Anass Ahmidouch at Lucerna Boxing 15 on 30 December 2023.[33] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[34]
Sivák made his second RFA K-1 -66 kg title defense against Ruslan Toktharov at Adam Król on 16 April 2024.[37] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[38]
Sivák was expected to face Andrej Kedveš at Gladiators Fight Night 2 on May 18, 2024. He withdrew from the bout with an undisclosed injury on May 17.[39]
Sivák faced Konstantin Stoykov at RFA x IAF: Special Title Night 2 on September 28, 2024. He won the fight by a second-round technical knockout.[40]
Sivák is scheduled to make his third RFA K-1 -66 kg title defense against László Farkas at RFA 16 on October 19, 2024.[41] Sivák came to the weigh in more than 3kg over the contracted limit. He was stripped of his title, the bout would still happen with only Farkas eligible to win the belt.[42] Sivák won the fight by fifth round knockout.[43]
