The match took place in K-1 in the weight up to 66 kg, the fighters measured their strength in four rounds of three minutes each. However, sharp exchanges were visible in the first seconds. Although Sivak was more aggressive, Zádera returned all his attacks immediately. Initial low kicks were replaced by first combinations, Sivak then tested Záděra with a knee to the ribs during a short clinch. But the referee divided them almost immediately.
Vašek demonstrated perfect movement on his feet. However, one of his kicks landed too low. At that moment, Zádera could not have guessed that he would not be the only one. Sivak slowly increased the speed, but Záděr countered tirelessly, even in combinations of three or more strikes. At the end of the round, he caught a cleanly hit highkick to the face, but it only provoked him to another shootout.
In the second round, Sivak clearly demonstrated that he can choose from a wide range of techniques, the audience could enjoy, for example, impressive spin kicks. Fortunately for Zádera, they did not fall on fertile ground. He tried to close the combination with a kick, which he succeeded in doing. Záděr often tied up his opponent, and it was in this situation that two more blows came in short succession below the belt. The referee therefore warned Vaško to be careful of them. Zádera persistently endured rough collisions with his opponent, in the last seconds of the second round he managed to hit clean lines, which made it clear that Sivak still had to watch out for him. He provoked the opponent to an epic spin kick, which landed on the ribs.
The turning point came in the third round. During the charge at the net, Sivak sent a powerful high kick that landed directly on Záděr’s neck. The lifeless body fell to the ground. For a moment it seemed that the shaken Zádera would not be able to climb back to his feet, but he quickly recovered. Immediately, however, he caught a roundkick, after which he went to his knees. Another count. “Bad boy” was already slowly celebrating the victory, but Zádera got back on his feet and started a counterattack. Subsequently, there was already a fourth kick to the groin, so the referee took away a point from Sivák. However, one more fell during the third round.
Záděra entered the last round with great determination, the necessary energy was supplied by the spectators who chanted his name. Nevertheless, Sivak continued the crushing attack. The fighters did not pay too much attention to the defense, both scored clean hits. We drove at full throttle until the end. So the judges had to decide on the champion. And they saw Vašek Sivák win.
Immediately after the match, he admitted that Záděra was a much tougher opponent than he expected, literally. “He endured enough, he was tough, especially the weight was felt, he was actually heavier than me,” he said with the champion’s belt. “I don’t want to make excuses, but he was heavier, it took a toll on me.” Perhaps this is also why he ultimately failed to finish off his opponent, even though he had planned it that way. At the post-match press conference, he added that Zádera deserves respect, especially for surviving a clean high kick. “Just the stomach… Those weren’t really balls, he was getting kicked in the stomach with a dagger. I got a point deducted for that, I don’t know why. But I think we put on a decent performance, I hope people liked it.” He praised his opponent for using his height well and working well with distance. So he often didn’t reach him with a lowkick.
According to Záděra, Sivak won quite justifiably. “I hit rock bottom when I got up in the third round. I endured it. And I think the scratched point is justified because I got bombed on the balls three times. But respect the opponent, it was tough. We both gave it our all.”
The newly-minted champion admitted that he trained fully for the match for a very short time. “I underestimated Zádera, I trained for him for six days, I didn’t even match, I just lapped. But you don’t *** talent. So I pulled it off just by talent.”
