ISKA Champions Di Vara and Panha Advance to K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 Final 8
Lorenzo Di Vara delivers a major upset, while Lorn Panha makes history as two ISKA World Champions secure their places in the tournament’s final eight.
TOKYO, Japan — September 12, 2026 — Two ISKA World Champions advanced to the K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 Final 8 following significant victories at the tournament’s Final 16, held at Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo.
Italy’s Lorenzo Di Vara defeated former finalist Darryl Verdonk of the Netherlands, while Cambodia’s Lorn Panha earned a historic victory over Japan’s Kazuki Matsumoto. Both fighters secured their places in the next stage of the tournament, scheduled for December 29 in Yokohama, Japan.
Lorenzo Di Vara Upsets Darryl Verdonk
Di Vara entered the tournament facing a formidable opponent in Verdonk, who had reached the final the previous year.
The Italian ISKA World Champion changed the course of the contest in the second round, scoring a knockdown that gave him a decisive advantage.
Di Vara maintained control through the remaining exchanges, earning a unanimous decision victory and eliminating one of the tournament’s established contenders.
The result represents a significant achievement for Di Vara, who now advances to the Final 8 with an opportunity to compete for one of kickboxing’s most recognized tournament titles.
Lorn Panha Makes History for Cambodia
ISKA Kun Khmer World Champion Lorn Panha delivered another notable result, defeating Japan’s Kazuki Matsumoto by majority decision.
With the victory, Panha became the first Khmer fighter to win a K-1 qualifying round, marking an important milestone for Cambodian combat sports.
His advancement to the Final 8 also brings additional international attention to Kun Khmer and the athletes representing Cambodia on major kickboxing stages.
For both Di Vara and Panha, the victories extend their competitive achievements beyond their ISKA world titles and place them among the eight remaining contenders in the K-1 WORLD MAX tournament.
K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 Final 16 Results
70 kg Tournament
- Jonas Salsicha defeated Zhora Akopyan — Unanimous decision (3–0).
- Lorenzo Di Vara defeated Darryl Verdonk — Unanimous decision (3–0).
- Kacper Muszyński defeated Serhii Adamchuk — Split decision (2–1), extension round.
- Vladimir Tulaev defeated Stoyan Koprivlenski — Knockout, Round 2, 2:16.
- Jayjay Morris defeated Vitor Toffanelli — Unanimous decision (3–0).
- Lorn Panha defeated Kazuki Matsumoto — Majority decision (2–0).
- Zack Pankhurst defeated PK Saenchai — Majority decision (2–0).
- Jones Coliseu defeated Alfousseynou Kamara — Technical knockout, Round 3, 1:56.
Five K-1 World Titles Contested in Tokyo
In addition to the WORLD MAX qualifying bouts, the event featured five K-1 World Championship contests across multiple weight divisions.
Super-Lightweight World Championship — 65 kg
Taio Asahisa defeated Alassane Kamara by unanimous decision (3–0).
Super-Featherweight World Championship — 60 kg
Tomoya Yokoyama defeated Thun Menghong by knockout in Round 2 at 1:25.
Lightweight World Championship — 62.5 kg
Samuel Nagasawa defeated Yuzuki Satomi by technical knockout in Round 2 at 1:41.
Super-Bantamweight World Championship — 55 kg
Riamu defeated Akihiro Kaneko by split decision (2–1) following an extension round.
Featherweight World Championship — 57.5 kg
Rui Okubo defeated Ryota Ishida by knockout in Round 3 at 1:25.
Super-Fight and Preliminary Results
The Tokyo event also included six additional contests:
- 95 kg: Maxim Baklanov defeated Bogdan Stoica — TKO, Round 1, 1:45.
- 52 kg: Mona Kimura defeated Marine Nicol — Unanimous decision (3–0), extension round.
- 63 kg: Yuta Murakoshi defeated Kenta Hayashi — Unanimous decision (3–0).
- 55 kg: Kenshin Tanabe defeated Koji Ikeda — TKO, Round 2, 2:05.
- 67.5 kg: Takuma Tsukamoto defeated Manuel Menendez — Unanimous decision (3–0).
- 57.5 kg: Daiju Kurata defeated Raigo Miyazaki — Unanimous decision (3–0).
Two ISKA Champions Move Closer to the WORLD MAX Title
The Final 16 delivered a significant night for ISKA, with two reigning world champions advancing through one of international kickboxing’s most competitive tournament formats.
Di Vara’s victory over a former finalist demonstrated his ability to compete against established K-1 contenders. Panha’s historic result represented a milestone for Cambodian fighters seeking recognition on the international stage.
Their performances also highlighted the growing connections between national combat sports traditions and major international competitions.
Both champions will now prepare for the next stage of the tournament, where the remaining eight fighters will compete for the K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 championship.
The K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 Final 8 is scheduled for December 29 in Yokohama, Japan.