Joseph Valtellini

Joseph Valtellini
Born Joseph John Valtellini
(1985-05-03) May 3, 1985
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Other names Bazooka Joe
Nationality Canadian
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 77.1 kg (170 lb; 12.14 st)
Division Middleweight
Super Middleweight
Reach 73.0 in (185 cm)
Style Kickboxing • Muay Thai • Taekwondo
Fighting out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Team Ultimate Martial Arts
Trainer Paul Minhas
Rank 2nd degree black belt in Taekwondo
Blue belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu
Years active 2008–present
Kickboxing record
Total 14
Wins 12
By knockout 10
Losses 2
By knockout 1
Draws 0
Amateur career
Total 11
Wins 11
By knockout 4
Losses 0
Draws 0
Other information
Occupation Teacher
University University of Toronto
last updated on: June 21, 2014

Joseph John Valtellini[1] (born May 3, 1985) is a Canadian Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the super middleweight division. Nicknamed "Bazooka Joe", Valtellini is a strong and explosive fighter possessing considerable punching power and powerful low kicks.[2][3] After winning provincial and national honours as an amateur, he turned professional in 2010 and went undefeated while finishing all of his opponents on the New York Muay Thai scene over the next two years before losing to Grégory Choplin in Lion Fight. He debuted with the Glory promotion in April 2013.

Early life

An Italian Canadian, Joseph Valtellini was born in Scarborough, Ontario to parents who emigrated from Pachino, Sicily.[4] He began training in taekwondo under Roy Sullivan at the Ki Do Kwan gym aged seven and earned his black belt at ten. He was promoted to the rank of second degree black belt at the age of fourteen, but around this time he began looking for more "contact and realism" in martial arts and started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for a year. It wasn't until he was nineteen that he found Muay Thai.[5]

Valtellini played association football competitively between the ages of ten and eighteen and unsuccessfully tried out for the Toronto Varsity Blues soccer team while attending the University of Toronto, although he did make it on to the Toronto Varsity Blues Canadian football team where he played for five years, serving as the placekicker and finishing two seasons as the team's leading scorer.[6] He suffered a broken radius in his left arm while playing Canadian football, requiring surgery and prompting doctors to recommend never fighting again. In addition to his fighting career, he also works as a physical education teacher for special needs students at Sir William Osler High School.[7]

Career

Early career (2008–2012)

Valtellini first came to prominence when he won the CAMTAO Amateur Ontario Super Middleweight Championship in 2008. In July 2009, he participated in the 2009 IKF World Classic in Orlando, Florida, United States, winning the tournament in the light middleweight (-72.72 kg/160 lb) Muay Thai division. After defeating Jaried Gonzalez via technical knockout in the quarter-finals, he took unanimous decision wins over Eric Ingram and Brian Robertson in the semis and final, respectively, to be crowned champion.[8][9] He then won the CASK Canadian amateur middleweight title in early 2010 before turning professional.

As Muay Thai was illegal in the province of Ontario until August 2010,[10] Valtellini began his professional career in the US, finding success in the New York City-based Friday Night Fights promotion. In his pro debut on May 14, 2010, he faced sanshou stylist Max Chen. After scoring a knockdown with a left hook, Valtellini kept up the pressure and forced the referee to stop the fight towards the end of the first round.[11] In his next two outings, he stopped both Dorian Price and Sean Hinds with low kicks.[12] Having gone 3-0 with three stoppages in his first year as a pro, he was nominated for the 2010 "North American Fighter of the Year" award by Muay Thai Authority but lost out to Kevin Ross.[13][14]

On April 29, 2011, he beat the previously undefeated Ben Case. Although he struggled with Case's height and reach early, he was able cause damage with punch-low kick combinations and dropped Case at the end of the fourth round before finishing him with a high kick in the fifth.[15][16][17] With this win, he claimed the #10 spot in North America's pound for pound rankings.[18] Headlining for the first time against Alex Berrios on September 23, 2011, Valtellini was able to avoid the clinch and use effective low kicks which caused Berrios to quit on his stool in between rounds two and three.[19][20] After the fight, he moved up three places in the North American rankings.[21][22]

Moving up from his usual weight of 75 kg/165 lb, he faced Shawn Yarborough in a 76 kg/169 lb catch weight on March 9, 2012. This was also his first fight with elbows as the state of New York had only made them legal four months earlier. Valtellini sent Yarborough to the canvas with a right hand but he was able to beat the count. Shortly afterwards, he cornered Yarborough and became the first man to stop him when he knocked him out with a left hook-right uppercut combo.[23][24]

Having established himself as the top super middleweight on the continent,[25] Valtellini took his first fight outside of New York against Grégory Choplin in the co-main event of Lion Fight 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 13, 2012.[26][27] He struggled with his French opponent's clinch and elbows, receiving a cut over his left eye in the first round. Going the distance for the first time in his career, he dropped a unanimous decision.[28][29] He rebounded with a unanimous points victory over Mehdi Baghdad at Muay Thai in America: In Honor of the King in Los Angeles, California on December 1, 2012.[30][31]

Glory (2013–present)

In December 2012, he signed with Glory to fight under Oriental kickboxing rules in the organization's 77 kg/170 lb welterweight division.[32][33] He made his promotional debut against Murat Direkçi at Glory 6: Istanbul in Istanbul, Turkey on April 6, 2013 and overcame the Belgian-Turk's aggressive start by scoring a knockdown late in the opening round. After dropping him twice more inside the last thirty seconds of round two, Valtellini forced Direkçi's corner to throw in the towel in three.[34][35][36]

He returned to New York to face François Ambang at Glory 9: New York on June 22, 2013.[37][38] After a close first round in which both fighters landed solid combinations and kicks, Valtellini began to take control in the second. In round three, it became evident that Ambang's lead leg was injured and Valtellini went on the attack to score a knockdown with low kicks. Ambang was able to get back to his feet but could not walk towards the referee and the fight was called, giving the Canadian the win.[39][40][41]

He improved to 3-0 in Glory with a late stoppage of Karim Ghajji at Glory 11: Chicago in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States on October 12, 2013.[42][43] After a technical affair that saw both men exchanging and looking extremely solid, Valtellini rocked Ghajji with a spinning back fist in round three which forced the referee to issue a standing eight count. Valtellini then swarmed on the Frenchman, landing a high kick which caused a TKO victory.[44][45]

He was initially set to fight Karapet Karapetyan in the Glory 13: Tokyo - Welterweight World Championship Tournament semi-finals in Tokyo, Japan on December 21, 2013[46] but Karapetyan was replaced by Raymond Daniels when the match-ups were changed for undisclosed reasons.[47] He struggled with Daniels' unorthodox karate style early on but by round two began to do damage with low kicks before he scored a high kick KO in round three, inflicting the first loss on Daniels' record. Facing Nieky Holzken in the final, both fighters pressed forward, landing powerful but technical punches and kicks throughout. Holzken hurt Valtellini with a body shot in the third and final round before putting him away after landing a right overhand in a hectic exchange in the dying seconds of the fight.[48][49]

Valtellini beat Marc de Bonte via unanimous decision to take his Glory Welterweight Championship at Glory 17: Los Angeles in Inglewood, California, US on June 21, 2014. Both fighters scored knockdowns in the fight; Valtellini dropped de Bonte with a high kick in round three, while de Bonte floored Valtellini with a knee in round four.[50][51][52]

He will appear in the film Kickboxer: Vengeance.

Championships and awards

Kickboxing

Kickboxing record

12 wins (10 KOs), 2 losses, 0 draws
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time Record
2014-06-21 Win Belgium Marc de Bonte Glory 17: Los Angeles Inglewood, California, USA Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 12-2
Wins the Glory Welterweight Championship.
2013-12-21 Loss Netherlands Nieky Holzken Glory 13: Tokyo - Welterweight World Championship Tournament, Final Tokyo, Japan TKO (right hook) 3 3:00 11-2
For the Glory Welterweight World Championship Tournament.
2013-12-21 Win United States Raymond Daniels Glory 13: Tokyo - Welterweight World Championship Tournament, Semi Finals Tokyo, Japan KO (right high kick) 3 1:20 11-1
2013-10-12 Win Morocco Karim Ghajji Glory 11: Chicago Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA TKO (punches and right high kick) 3 2:53 10-1
2013-06-22 Win Cameroon François Ambang Glory 9: New York New York City, New York, USA TKO (right low kick) 3 1:24 9-1
2013-04-06 Win Turkey Murat Direkçi Glory 6: Istanbul Istanbul, Turkey TKO (corner stoppage) 3 0:27 8-1
2012-12-01 Win France Mehdi Baghdad Muay Thai in America: In Honor of the King Los Angeles, California, USA Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 7-1
2012-10-13 Loss France Grégory Choplin Lion Fight 7 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 6-1
2012-03-09 Win United States Shawn Yarborough Friday Night Fights New York City, New York, USA KO (left hook and right uppercut) 1 2:55 6-0
2011-09-23 Win United States Alex Berrio Friday Night Fights New York City, New York, USA TKO (retirement) 2 3:00 5-0
2011-04-29 Win United States Ben Case Friday Night Fights New York City, New York, USA TKO (high kick) 5 0:53 4-0
2010-12-10 Win United States Sean Hinds Friday Night Fights New York City, New York, USA TKO (retirement) 3 3:00 3-0
2010-07-22 Win United States Dorian Price Friday Night Fights New York City, New York, USA TKO (low kicks) 2-0
2010-05-14 Win United States Max Chen Friday Night Fights New York City, New York, USA TKO (right high kick) 1 2:11 1-0
Amateur kickboxing record
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
2009-07-26 Win United States Brian Robertson 2009 IKF World Classic, Final Orlando, Florida, USA Decision (unanimous) 3 2:00
Wins the 2009 IKF World Classic Light Middleweight (-72.72 kg/160 lb) Muay Thai Championship.
2009-07-26 Win United States Eric Ingram 2009 IKF World Classic, Semi Finals Orlando, Florida, USA Decision (unanimous) 3 2:00
2009-07-25 Win United States Jaried Gonzalez 2009 IKF World Classic, Quarter Finals Orlando, Florida, USA TKO 2 1:40

Legend:       Win       Loss       Draw/No contest       Notes

External links

References

  1. ↑ NSAC report of Lion Fight 7
  2. ↑ Valtellini vs. Berrios: Collision Course
  3. ↑ Keys to Victory: Alex Berrios vs. Joseph Valtellini
  4. ↑ Meet the Fighter: Joseph Valtellini
  5. ↑ Fixing the Bank with Joseph Valtellini
  6. ↑ From Blues to blows for kickboxer Valtellini
  7. ↑ The Next Big Thing: FSA talks with Canada’s “Bazooka” Joe Valtellini Before GLORY 9 New York
  8. ↑ Results from the 11th annual IKF World Classic
  9. ↑ Tempus Athletes Win IKF Amateur Titles
  10. ↑ Muay Thai Becomes Legal in Ontario, Canada
  11. ↑ Friday Night Fights 5/14/10
  12. ↑ Joseph “Bazooka Joe” Valtellini wins again! Bonus, How to plan your New Years Resolution.
  13. ↑ North American Muay Thai Fighter of the Year Award Nominees
  14. ↑ Kevin Ross and Miram Nakamoto win 2010 fighter of the year awards
  15. ↑ Valtellini, Case, Greskiewicz, and Hasanov all in action at April 29th Friday Night Fights event
  16. ↑ Someone is saying goodbye to being undefeated
  17. ↑ Friday Night Fights Recap - Hasanov wins via split decision, Valtellini wins by TKO
  18. ↑ Updated North American Men's Rankings 7/28/2011
  19. ↑ Alex Berrios vs. Joseph Valtellini set for Sept. 23rd Friday Night Fights event
  20. ↑ Results and Recap: Friday Night Fights "Valtellini vs. Berrios"
  21. ↑ Updated North American Men's Rankings 9/30/2011
  22. ↑ Updated North American Men's Rankings 11/10/2011
  23. ↑ Yarborough vs. Valtellini headline March 9th Friday Night Fights Muay Thai event, Fisher vs. Horowitz set for undercard
  24. ↑ Results and Recap: Friday Night Fights Muay Thai "Yarborough vs. Valtellini"
  25. ↑ North American Super Middleweight Rankings 8/3/2012
  26. ↑ Joe Schilling vs. Eddie Walker and Joseph Valtellini vs. Gregory Choplin set for Lion Fight Muay Thai VII October 13th
  27. ↑ Schilling vs. Walker and Valtellini vs. Choplin official for Lion Fight Muay Thai VII on October 13th
  28. ↑ Results and Recap of Lion Fight Muay Thai 7: Walker KO's Schilling
  29. ↑ Weekend Results: Eddie Walker KO's Joe Schilling
  30. ↑ MTIA returns with December 1st event featuring Simon Marcus, Julie Kitchen, Rungravee, Coke, and Chike Lindsay
  31. ↑ Results and Recap: Muay Thai in America "In Honor of the King"
  32. ↑ Kevin Ross, Eddie Walker, and Joseph Valtellini among seven new additions to Glory roster
  33. ↑ GLORY Announces 7 New Fighter Signings, Including Kevin Ross
  34. ↑ Joseph Valtellini set to face Murat Direkci at Glory 6 in Turkey
  35. ↑ Glory 6 results and recap
  36. ↑ GLORY 6 Istanbul: Daniel Ghita vs. Gokhan Saki, Live Results
  37. ↑ Glory 9 set for New York on June 22nd with light heavyweight tournament, Ghita vs. Guidon and Valtellini vs. Ambang set as super fights
  38. ↑ GLORY 9 New York Gets Ghita vs. Guidon, Valtellini vs. Ambang
  39. ↑ Glory 9 Results and Recap: Tyrone Spong Wins Light Heavyweight Tournament
  40. ↑ GLORY 9 Results and Review: Tyrone Spong Wins Light Heavyweight Tournament, Ghita Dominates Guidon
  41. ↑ GLORY 9 New York Live Results and Updates
  42. ↑ GLORY 11 Main Event Confirmed as Corbett vs. Spong
  43. ↑ Tyrone Spong vs. Nathan Corbett and more confirmed for Glory 11 in Chicago
  44. ↑ GLORY 11 Chicago Live Results and Discussion
  45. ↑ Glory 11 Results and Recap
  46. ↑ Match ups announced for Glory 13 welterweight tournament in Japan
  47. ↑ Raymond Daniels replaces Marc de Bonte in Glory 13 welterweight tournament
  48. ↑ GLORY SuperFight Series Tokyo and GLORY 13 Spoilers
  49. ↑ Glory 13 Results and Recap
  50. ↑ Glory 17 and Last Man Standing Live Results
  51. ↑ Glory's Last Man Standing Results
  52. ↑ Glory results: Artem Levin, Rico Verhoeven and Joseph Valtellini take home Glory gold
  53. ↑ Kickboxing 2013 Year End Awards: Fighter, Fight, and KO of the Year
  54. ↑ LiverKick Best of 2013: Fight of the Year
  55. ↑ 2013 Muay Thai Authority Awards
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