A rematch between KSW lightweight champion Mateusz Gamrot of Poland and Norman Parke of Ireland will headline KSW 40 at Dublin’s 3Arena on October 22, it was announced today.
Gamrot and Parke first fought back in May, with Gamrot’s title on the line, but the contest ended up being one shrouded in controversy due to an alleged biting incident in round two. Gamrot, the eventual victor, was accused of biting Parke’s fingers as the Irishman looked to cup his chin and target his neck for a submission attempt. Incensed, Parke pulled away and protested to the referee, but little was done about it. He then approached Gamrot afterwards and revealed his intention to pursue a rematch.
“I talked to Gamrot after the fight and he didn’t know what to say or where to look,” Parke told Fighters Only the following week. “I said we should have a rematch and he said, ‘No, no, no. Me not fight for six months. I’m not fighting until the end of the year.’
“He thought he was going to go out there and wrestle me and bully me. But he realised after one round I was strong on top. He knew he needed to do something to get an edge.
“If KSW compensate me with a rematch when they come to England or Ireland, I don’t give two f***s. Let the boy stay undefeated. So long as I get a rematch, that’s not a problem.”
Well, to the delight of his Irish fans, Parke has now got his wish. The rematch, scheduled for October 22 in Dublin, Ireland, will clear up a lot of the ill-feeling and controversy that followed the pair’s first encounter in May. If Gamrot can repeat his success and win for a second time, Parke will reluctantly accept his fate. If, however, Parke is able to right a perceived wrong and outwork Gamrot in front of his home fans, justice, he believes, will have been done.
“The good thing is, there has been a lot of media coverage,” he said. “I’ve got a load of Polish fans now. I’ve got so many messages since the fight on my fan page and my personal page. I couldn’t believe it. I had more messages from the people of Poland than I did from people here. They were all saying they thought I won the fight. We were counting the messages the other night and there must have been about a hundred. They were all calling me the new Polish champion. It was great.”
