Willem de Louw from Helmond is the current Dutch Bierbuik Boxing (Beer Belly Boxing) champion. This Saturday, he will defend his title at Laco Standbad arena in Nuenen.
The principle of beer belly boxing is not particularly complicated. ‘Our matches are held in a real boxing ring,’ explains de Louw during Omroep Brabant’s radio show, ‘Wakker!’. ‘With our hands behind our backs, we try to floor our opponent by bumping into each other with our bellies.’
Brown fruit bowl
The boxers’ weight plays a major role in determining whether they will win or lose the match. After losing some weight recently, de Louw explains that he is now back in preparation for the competition. He follows the ‘brown fruit bowl’ diet, which consists of ‘a lot of croquettes, a lot of fat food and definitely a lot of beer’.
As well as this unusual diet plan, de Louw says ‘I let people hit my stomach. It makes it harder’. When asked if he experiences stomach ache after a match, de Louw says ‘no, I rub my belly with oil’.
Speaking of his opponent, he says ‘he is clearly a favourite to win, but that will change on Saturday’.
For de Louw, beer belly boxing is a lifestyle, not just a sport. Rather poetically, he says, ‘life is like a frikandel’, a popular Dutch fast food snack made of different meats. By this he means that ‘you have to make something special out of it yourself’.
News outlet Omroep Brabant will be present at the finals this weekend. To follow the live action, head to Zinderend Zuiden. The broadcast will be given in Dutch.
Source: Omroep Brabant
Translator: Rachael Vickerman
