Props to Michael Afromowitz

July 5, 2004] Duane �gBang�h Ludwig may be fighting an uphill battle right now, but he�fs not about to give up his dream of becoming the first American K-1 Max World Grand Prix champion. On Wednesday, the 25-year-old will attempt to turn his recent, sour fortunes around and continue his quest for greatness during a K-1 World Max tournament reserve bout with Serkan Yilmaz at Tokyo, Japan�fs Yoyogi Stadium.

Ludwig, who exploded onto K-1�fs 154-pound limit tournament circuit during its inception year in 2002, reeled off four wins in his first six K-1 starts. The Denver, Colorado native�fs last two appearances, however, saw him fail to match the early success he reaped in �gThe New Fighting Sport.�h

On April 7th, Ludwig squared off with Australia�fs �gJohn�h Wayne Parr, a fearsome force in martial arts fighting�fs middleweight division who has claimed major victories over dangerous rivals throughout the world. While both fighters were aggressive from the outset of the bout, it was Parr who broke through Ludwig�fs guard with a straight right hand that floored the American. Ludwig recovered and battled his way through the remainder of the round bravely, but was again put on the canvas with a strong left-right hand combination while pinned against the ropes. Parr�fs counter attacks throughout the matchup were too much for Ludwig and eventually led him to capture a unanimous judges�f decision.

Less than two months later, Ludwig returned to battle in Japan where he took on fellow American B.J. Penn during the first installment of K-1�fs new mixed martial arts promotion. Expected to be a highly competitive war, the matchup was short and one-sided. After securing a takedown seconds into the first round, the feisty Penn worked his way to a mount position and secured a choke at the 1:45 mark of the first round.

Ludwig�fs fighting career outside of K-1 has been nothing short of dominant. Shortly after the New Year, he realized his dream of becoming a world champion during a mega-fight with Thailand�fs Malapaiet Sitprapom in Ludwig�fs hometown. With the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) World Junior Middleweight Muay Thai crown on the line, Ludwig matched Sitprapom�fs aggressiveness with his own relentlessness. At the end of three, hard-fought rounds, Ludwig was awarded the judges�f decision and the title.

The main draw of Wednesday�fs tournament will host a number of the sport�fs more accomplished figures, including Parr as well as Japan�fs Masato and Holland�fs Albert Kraus. Should Masato and Kraus both be victorious in their respective quarterfinal round matchups, the pair will face one another during the event�fs semifinal round.