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13469 : Question re:Tarik Solak

Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-22 08:18:52
I hope I spelled his name right.

I keep hearing about Tarik Solak in Australia. Is he like the Don King of Kickboxing promotions there or what? Or is he just the most marketed? Would someone not biased please inform me. :)
The Aussie Watch Dog
Posted: 2000-03-22 16:02:32
OK B,

I'll try to give you an unbiased opinion.

Tarik Solak is the biggest promoter in Australia at present. The biggest promoter used to be a guy named Christopher Chronis (leading fashion designer). He promoted Stan to stardom in such fights as Stan vs Branko and Stan vs Alexio. His last big fight promoted was in 1995 (I think that was the year) when he staged Stan vs Satake which ended
At that stage Tarik Solak was an up and coming promoter who mostly promoted his own boys (Turks such as Tibet Hamza, Gerald Ilhan, Gurkan Ozkan and Bader Arafan). Solak hit the big time when he staged Australia's first ever amateur world title show at Festival Hall (traditional fight venue of Melbourne). He packed it out with 4000 people to watch Ozkan and Hamza win world titles off two Englishmen.
That is when the Solak hype really began. He managed and marketed Ozkan into his main drawcard which was a clever move as Ozkan was never a brilliant fighter, just gutsy, powerfully built and with fearsome punching power.
Over the years Solak has definitely been an imaginative promoter. He gave us two Sam Greco fights in one year and was the first promoter to secure the prestigious Crown Casino - the biggest and best Casino complex in Australia and a beautiful venue. He now stages all his fights there. He was also the first promoter to sign a deal with FoxSports TV to have all of his shows shown nationwide.
Most of the big names over the years have fought for him..Stan, Sam, Jacobs, Iosifidis, Vermes, Dawson, Hallford, Behic, Prince Amir, Bannan, Taione, Mangan, May, Soliman, etc etc etc.

Brian, there are many good promoters in Australia...Ultimate, Richard Bradford, Scott Bannan, Phon Martdee, Kelly Seif, Ron Parr...but Tarik Solak's shows are consistently the biggest budgeted productions (that is not to say they always feature the best cards) and the only ones shown regularly on TV (although this year FoxSports are taking on other shows too).

Also, Solak is now the official K1 promoter in Australia and is in partnership with Ishii, so all his events now will probably carry the K1 tag, such as his May 14 show which will be K1 Revenge.

I hope this is an unbiased view for you. I'm sure Nickos can back most of it up.

The Aussie Watch Dog
Grr Grr Grr





Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-22 18:09:21
Thank you! Now that puts things into perspective.
Brooda
Posted: 2000-03-22 20:11:28
AWD.......You forgot to tell Brian that he also loves himself and thinks that his shit doesn't stink.....( Hey maybe that where Gurkan gets it from)?????????????????????????????????????????
MTPupil
Posted: 2000-03-23 04:49:31
What sort of crowds has Tarik pulled? I have heard that some of his shows are terrible..... and he thinks he is the centre of the promotion NOT the fighters - also told he is a bit of ........
Nickos
Posted: 2000-03-23 05:52:16
Tarik's crowds's average around 3000 I'd say. Those numbers jumped to about 7000-8000 when he did a couple of Stan's fights.
Tarik is a good promoter, but really, the guy has some sort of personality disorder, and that's the nicest way I can say it. And he does tend to think he's the centre of attention. He has directly influenced the outcomes of fights to favor his fighters, and he's done this in front of EVERYONE. He's become the undisputed dickhead of promoters when he told one of his crowd's to "shut up and go home" when they took issue with his unethical practices. He has flown off the handle and spoken rudely to crowds all over Australia.
If Tarik really wants to be innovative, I have a great suggestion for him...try smiling a bit at your next show. Be loose and happy. Stop looking for chances to throw a tantrum. Shake the gangster image for a while, and stop looking to send your goons to beat up people who don't kiss your feet at the shows.
And as for MTpupil's comment: "also told he is a bit of ........"...yeah, he's into that as well.
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-23 07:34:32
So he's similar to Don King...just like I said. He is a successful promoter who is very controversial. :)
KIP
Posted: 2000-03-23 09:39:02
Brooda

The first time I read your post, I misunderstood it.

I almost replied with "that is not a nice thing to say about Brian, I don't think Brian comes off as arrogent". hahahha
Brooda
Posted: 2000-03-23 16:29:55
Tarik,
Please forgive me for my drunken outburst, you have done more for Australian kickboxing and muay thai than anyone else....keep up the good work,
Brooda.
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-23 17:06:11
Hahahahaha
Now that you mention it KIP, he did write it that way!!! You should be giving ME the apology Brooda! :P

hehe
Mike Yoshioka
Posted: 2000-03-23 18:21:50
Isn't Brooda female? Sorry if you're not! 8)

Brian / Andras , time to get that members section open! ;)

Brooda
Posted: 2000-03-24 04:58:01
Yeah...Sorry Brian...it was really directed to you...you figured me out.......So sorry.......Oh yeah and by the way......If im a female then Im gonna change my sexual preferences...lol.....Its ok tho Brian coz i love myself too...but only at nite when my missus is asleep....hehehehe
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-24 10:19:34
LOL
13596 : Solak's outbursts

Phil Mayo. World Kickboxing Organisation
Posted: 2000-03-24 13:28:27
I have personally never met the man, but I heard he told Ishi to screw himself (or words to that effect) Is that true?

Phil.
MTPupil
Posted: 2000-03-24 15:04:24
What like Ishi did when Phil 'the dog Mayo' sent Bullshit to Tokyo about the K1 and the WKO even the falling WKA has just been there!! Why don't you answer the question about what the WKO is doing Phil? F*#k of with that Trinidad shitte as well - oh and cheers for robbing us in Norwich - should go under the worst descision ever in Kickboxing and ever Amen! Oh and well rob you while your in England mind you you rob your English fighters when they go abroad don't you?!?
The Aussie Watch Dog
Posted: 2000-03-24 19:26:15
I sincerely doubt that Solak told Ishii to screw himself...where did you get that ?! Or is that comment just meant to provoke trouble?

The Aussie Watch Dog
Grr Grr Grr
13622 : Solak & Ishi

Phil Mayo. World Kickboxing Organisation
Posted: 2000-03-25 11:29:00
No intention to provoke anything Aussie Watchdog. I was told this by Trevor Ambrose when he was fighting on one of our Cyprus shows last june. I can't remember if he said he heard it himself or heard it from someone else. thats why I mentioned it as a question rather than a fact.

Can anyone decypher that last post by MTpupil/Rob Wilesmith for me? It read like he had his head up his ass while he typed it!

Phil.
13647 : Tarik solak

Michael Charbaji
Posted: 2000-03-26 10:11:50
From Ms Lucy Tui,

I would like to give my opinion on Mr Tarik Solak, I have known him for ten years and he we have had our disagreements over the sport mainly on his
attitude towards people which I must admit has been really harsh.I personally
will not take any s--- from him because that is the sort of person I am.I
know that with all his foul language when he promotes shows is due to the
pressure he is under. I know that after the promotion he is rather a pleasant
person, he likes to be nothing but the best! in which he is at this present
moment as far as the sport is concerned. He has given me opportunities in the
Sport in which for example my fighter has won the first K1 Oceania.Tarik would now have to step up into another level as a person and a Promoter.

I am sure he will start to look after the fighters and trainers better and start
to become a role model for the sport.I beleive that the people that will have
that sort of effect on him will be Mr Ishi and Mr Ken Emai to be involved with
people like them you have to have Respect & Honesty and most of all be humble.
The K1 is the most prestigeous Kickboxing Sport in the World and for Tarik to be able to be using the name he must be doing something right, so for all you
critics out there he can only get bigger and better in the sport.
I am looking forward to doing another show with him in Sydney some time he
would be the most honest person I have worked with in the sport and learning
something from him everyday. So Tarik if you are out there Thank you for being
a business associate but most of all thank you for being my friend.To those
who have never promoted before why don!t You try it and see how you can handle
it without swearing and being under pressure GOOD LUCK!

Yours in Sport
Ms Lucy Tui.

Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-26 14:06:11
Any way of getting Tarik Solak or Lucy Tui on here?
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-26 14:07:09
Or trevor Ambrose...or...(fill in the blank)

I hear of many people that know people in the business...but I only see a few people in the business posting on here. It would be good to see more.
Nickos
Posted: 2000-03-26 16:25:54
OK, my mistake. It's OK to swear at your crowd at tell them to shut up and get lost because of the pressure involved. Silly of me. Duke, maybe you should try that too.
steve
Posted: 2000-03-27 07:31:05
an average of 3000 and 7-8000 on the big fights!!!!!

that is alot of spectators in the UK we can only dream of that number,
so he must be doing something right!
as for the attitude thing i am sorry to say i dont no much about politics
and stuff like that outside the UK, but if this guy is increaseing
the coverage and exposure to the sport well done.
i refuse to listen to second hand storys and let the facts talk,

i have seen alot of wrong decisions and even the crowd decideing who has won,
but it seems this guy is high profile and maybe an easy target (if what you are
saying is true) for people to attack for their own ajenders.
Peter
Posted: 2000-03-27 14:28:28
Solak is a criminal, nothing he does helps to promote the sport of KB. He is definetly not the biggest promoter in Oz. Mordey, Fenech, Warden are bigger in the field of promotion in oz. I know they prominately do boxing but they outshine Solak in all aspects.

Solak promotes his own fighters and puts them up against no hopers(easybeats) and makes his fighters look good.

Solak is also known to be involved in the drug trade.

Solak has no friends in the sport of KB, only fighters from his own stable who would not score a fight in a pub brawl.
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-27 15:40:27
Sounds like he has a lot in common with Don King. People give him some respect and appreciation in the KB community, but then a lot of people despise him as well.
Nickos
Posted: 2000-03-27 16:34:21
Brian, one of those people who was trying to play all sweet and back up Tarik used to shitbag Tarik to me on the phone.

Solak has done some good stuff, but generally what he does leaves a bad aftertaste. The really huge crowds he had wasn't anything special done on his part. Chris Chronis used to pull 8000 plus each time when he promoted Stan. Tarik did good numbers at a couple Stan fights, but Stan chooses not to do much business with Tarik at the moment. Otherwise Solak's shows will vary from anything from 1000-3000. Simple fact about Tarik is that everytime he grabs the mike at a show, you can hear the groans coming from the audience...you just know something stupid is going to get done or said.
And what's this I hear that he screwed Sam Greco out of his purse after that fight with that silly Turk?
The Aussie Watch Dog
Posted: 2000-03-27 17:09:09
Peter,

I can't agree with you.

First, you say Solak does nothing to help promote the sport of kickboxing. Well, he is the one who has a contract with FoxSports and it is his shows that have been broadcast on national TV for the first time with regularity for Aussie kickboxing. He also floods Triple M radio with advertisements (more mainstream exposure) and gets his fighters interviews on air, in all the magazines, etc.

Secondly, you say that Mordey and Fenech are bigger promoters than Solak...surely you're kidding. Have a look at the standard of Solak's shows (have you ever been to one) compared to Mordey or Fenech. It is a different level. Lights, pyrotechnics, smooth running, all professional. The crowds are also larger on average.

Third, you say Solak puts his boys up against easy beats...hmmm, Trevor Ambrose, Dendenai and Warren Elson were no easy beats for Ozkan...neither was Fagan at the recent K1 Oceania. Dawson was no easy beat for Hamza. Bannan, Dawson and Hallford were not easy beats for Amir, neither was Tetoros many years ago or Myles. Sure, in the past he has staged some easy fights for his boys, but what promoter hasn't. But in recent times they have all had their share of tough fights. (And you think that Fenech hasn't promoted his boys against some absolute shonks? Mordey has also promoted his fair share of mismatches)

Solak is know to be involved in the drug trade...I do not know the truthfulness of that statement but true or not it has no reflection on the terrific standard of his shows. You'd be surprised how many people in the industry are involved in wayward business.

Solak has no friends in KB and his fighters would not score a fight in a pub brawl...Solak's fighters need not engage in pub brawls Peter when they fight in the best venue in Australia - the Crown Casino - another positive that Solak has brought to kickboxing.

Look, I know that Solak has his downfalls and that he can be very abrupt on the mike, I agree, but he has done a lot for kickboxing and his shows are the best ring promotions in the country, FULL STOP.

The Aussie Watch Dog
Grr Grr Grr
13731 : Tarik Solak

Sid
Posted: 2000-03-27 21:51:47

I totally agree with AWD, living in Sydney i see every Solak promotion (foxs sports) for that sort of coverage he gets big points in my book.I think he is the biggest promoter in Australia for these 2 reasons.

He promotes REGULAR pro shows (only are pro shows)
Large audience, both at the show and the Foxs Sport coverage

I like Solak promotions (except the fact that he does stupid things on the mike etc) as a person i do not like him. But he still is OZ'z biggest promoter.

On the above post of Lucy Tui's, talk about ass kissing. It may have something to do the joint venture of Tui & Solak in Sydney late last year. The main was supposed to be as follows
Marcus Mangan vs Krongsak Lek (Pro)
Nelson Taione vs Mark Hunt (Pro)
Jason Daley (OZ) vs Mike Angrove (NZ) (Am world title)


but ended like this

Nelson Taione vs Mark Hunt
Terry Ripey (a New Zealander who has lived in Oz for the past 1-2 years)vs Mike Angrove

And a very dissapointing crowd to say the least.
The Aussie Watch Dog
Posted: 2000-03-27 22:55:14
Sid,

Nelson in fact didn't fight Mark Hunt on that show, he fought Auckland Aumitagi from NZ.

Thanx for agreeing.

The Aussie Watch Dog
Grr Grr Grr
Nickos
Posted: 2000-03-28 01:28:46
I agree with the Doggy too. Sid summed it up the best. Tarik, the person, needs some attitude adjustments. But if you can try to ignore his silly ravings and temper tantrums, then there have been some great shows he has put together. There's been a couple duds, but that goes with the territory I guess.
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-03-30 09:07:33
I guess in that respect he's different than Don King. Don King is a prick in or out of the boxing ring. :)
Chiang
Posted: 2000-03-30 13:56:11
Talking yesterday to a friend who'd been to some of Solak shows. He said it' always a bit of a giggle watching the many minor skimishes going on around the ring between the various Greek v Turk factions, witting or unwittingly provoked by Solak.

True or False
Nickos
Posted: 2000-03-30 16:42:13
False. Can't say that Tarik, despite doing just about everything else, has ever provoked any sort of racial brawl.
The Aussie Watch Dog
Posted: 2000-03-30 16:53:52
I agree with Nickos,

That's false. Solak's ringside VIPs and general presentation of his shows on national television is too important and valuable to him to want to provoke any silly racial brawls. If skirmishes break out, he and his security team and right onto it.

The Aussie Watch Dog
Grr Grr Grr
Nickos
Posted: 2000-04-01 10:48:55
True AWD, but I still feel that Tarik has been let off the hook far too easily for his braindead attitude and comments to his paying customers. Telling them to shut up and go home?? What a fucking dickhead. And the guy hasn't even got any basic grammar skills. Some of the shit this moron has done is plain disgraceful, and it doesn't matter what kind of positive spin you try and put on it.
Grim_Reaper
Posted: 2000-04-18 09:36:34
I've been to pretty much every Solak promotion in melbourne in the last two years, and on a whole they've been pretty good. Apart from a few slip-ups (Vermes vs. Ozkan) the shows have been entertaining, and most of the fights pretty evenly matched (Most of them anyway...) The guy may be an asshole, but u gotta respect him for what he does in terms of promotions.
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-04-18 11:48:30
Racial brawls?
Matt-
Posted: 2000-04-18 18:19:02
Greek vs Turks?

Who wins?
Phil Mayo. World Kickboxing Organisation
Posted: 2000-04-18 18:26:09
The UK !

Phil.
Matt-
Posted: 2000-04-18 18:54:02
Oh-No, not the UK getting in over their heads again!
Were not going to have to bail you guys out again like we did in the big one (WWII), are we?

j/k

Matt-
Brian Ritchie
Posted: 2000-04-18 21:26:24
Blame Canada
KIP
Posted: 2000-04-18 23:59:15
I agree with Nickos. I don't know the Tarik Solak and have never seen his promotions but if I paid $$$ to get into a KB show and the promoter told me to shut up and go home, you can bet that I'd never contribute another penny to his business... especially if his shows are on TV.
Nickos
Posted: 2000-04-19 04:32:54
Greeks vs Turks, who wins? Ahhh, this brings back memories!
Back in the mid to late 80's, kickboxing was doing the rounds at The Palace and Fame (two old Melbourne nightclubs) during its infancy stages. Back then the stars were the teenage amateur Stan Longinidis as well as local faves like Charlie Arnautovic, Percy Lanciana, the Zackaria brothers etc. Most of these early shows featured some sort of Greeks vs Turks teams event. With Australia being heavy on multiculturalism, the ethnics used to pack the place out. Everyone used to go off during those team events. Funny thing was that those team events weren't actually kickboxing like the rest of the card (the kickboxing was FC rules back then as well) but a sort of semi-contact taekwando style thingy. Sounds boring, but you should have seen it! Guys would leap around in the air throwing all sorts of crazy shit! Racial pride was on the line here! LOL! Sometimes things got nasty! Guys would lose their temper and start smashing eachother full on in the face, wrestle etc. Primitive, but those were fun days!
Another fave was the Greeks vs the Aussies team events.
Last time we saw one of these Greeks vs Turks events was on a Stan the Man undercard in 1989, at this time Stan had been training at the Jet Centre and being touted as the next big thing. About 7000 were in attendace that night as kickboxing was starting to take off with the media coverage and interest in Stan, and they decided to put one a team event on the undercard since they had been crowd favorites on the local scene for some time. None other than Tarik Solak was on the Turkish team. When the Greeks won, Tarik grabbed the microphone and started to complain!
Yeah, they were fun days.
14677 : Tarik Solak

ScottBannan
Posted: 2000-04-19 07:08:50
I've fought on a couple of Tarik's show's,He treated me like a king paid excellant money.I have heard him have a go at the crowd,he did when I fought Amir but that was because the crowd were up him and I supposed they paid there $ there entitled,my mates were giving shit and Tarik was giving it back they thought it was fun.It's just in his nature his a proud man,to me as a fighter the most important thing is his word is golden,if he says it he does it.I'd fight for him tomorrow,he treated me a lot better than some promoters in Qld and Sydeny.
KIP
Posted: 2000-04-19 12:35:56
That's fine if your relationship with him is fighter-promoter, but if your relationship with him is customer-business... he'd better keep his attitude in check. He needs his customers $$$ more than his customers need his shows.
Nickos
Posted: 2000-04-20 02:26:58
True words KIP.
Paul
Posted: 2000-04-20 05:32:51
Regarding Brian's question about getting Tarik Solak or Lucy Tui on ax.

I don't know about Tarik, but Lucy is getting a PC in the next couple of weeks, she is very much looking forward to participating here on the board more often.
Nickos
Posted: 2000-04-20 07:29:23
Geez, thank God Wilesmith's banned then. Believe me, it would not have been a pretty sight to have Wilesmith on here if Lucy Tui posts.
duke roufus
Posted: 2000-04-20 09:28:37
Nickos,
I'm running a promotion may 6. I'll try the swearing bit and see how it works, then I'll get the Thai-lao fans in a race war. I practicing how to scream in the mic and say "shut up or leave". LOL Any swears I can scream at the fans that they will like the most?
KIP
Posted: 2000-04-20 09:42:25
ummmm... "shut up or go home" should do the trick
Nickos
Posted: 2000-04-20 09:43:42
OK, first you need to work on a thick ethnic tone in your voice. If portions of the crowd boo at anytime you need to get into the ring and have a very sour look on your face. And never smile, it's the most important point. LOL! Let us know how well you bond with your crowd!
Sponsor
Shane
Posted: 2000-05-10 08:12:52
I agree with Lucy , Tarik has given the sport , a brand new face lift that was needed . If it wasnt for pormoters like Tarik the sport in Australia would be still stuck in the ice ages , He might not be the worlds greatest man but without him we would have missed out on big shows and as fans we all like kickboxing shows and there is not enough of them going around .
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