After the appearance of the golden generation at the end of the last and the beginning of this millennium, kickboxing is again striving for heights when it could rightly be called the flagship of Montenegrin sports. The halls were full, more tickets were requested for martial arts spectacles, but despite a decade of stagnation, Montenegrin fighters are now showing that they have not forgotten their traditions and that there is no lack of professional knowledge. Last year, "some new kids" won medals at all the biggest competitions, in all ages, but Nemanja Čadenović established himself as the leader of the new wave.
Two world cups won, gold at the European Cup and the European University Championship and as a crown bronze at the World Championship in Portugal, all in the last year, for the well-deserved recognition of the best kick-boxer and a trophy from the hand of the president of the Kick-boxing Association, Ivan Strugar.
- I was literally five seconds away from the final, one more shot, but by overvoting, the judges gave an advantage to the rival. It's a pity, because I beat the world gold winner, the Ukrainian Bogdan Sitnik, both times last year. I also got the current vice-champion of Europe, Ajdin Aslan. I have never lost without a vote, not even to the Russians in the semi-finals of the Junior World Championships. I know I'm competitive and that's why - let's move on! My goal is a medal at the European Championship in Greece in November - says the 22-year-old kickboxer of Budućnost.
The trophy fighter low kick up to 71 kilograms starts the new season from Zagreb, at the European Cup already this weekend. With him will be Amar Fetahović, who will fight up to 75 kilograms.
- The arrival of Amar from the Rozaj Universe to Buducnost means a lot to me, because he is a "contrash" and helps me get used to it. Montenegro is small, so it lacks sparring partners, and boxers and MMA fighters also come to us. The kick-boxing association is well organized, and so is our club, so we have no problems with going to competitions, equipment or preparations. The excellent organization in the Association has made it possible for us to have many clubs throughout Montenegro where excellent work is being done, Budućnost leads the way in seniors, because there is also a medal winner from the European Championship, Filip Sekulović. The association organizes annual preparations in Žabljak, we were at the international camp in Varna, and there I was convinced that my coach Andrej Đeljošević has incomparably more knowledge and a better approach than foreign coaches. Low-kick is a dangerous sport, in order to avoid serious injuries, you have to go into the ring fully prepared and you have to listen to the coach's advice - explained Čađenović.
And in Varna there were icons - Sammy Shields, Peter Ayerts, Ernesto Host...
- Unfortunately, not Remi Bonjaski, my favorite fighter. Just because of the style, I also like high leg kicks, although the coaches say that I have no flaws and that I know how to kick in a series, but I still consider the high kick to be my strongest weapon. Irrespective of whether I'm right or left footed, I hit equally hard and accurately with both. I also watched videos of our hardened aces, he also fought at the "Mirko Vlahović" Memorial, and now I follow two great fighters via online platforms - Azerbaijani Chingiz Aziz and Italian Djordje Petrosyan. My goal is to reach the experience and level through amateur success so that I can try myself at the most prestigious events such as "Glory" or the Asian "One Championship". I occasionally fight in the professional ring. There is also a lot of money there, so a couple of fighters from Serbia perform with success, but the Croatian heavyweight Antonio Plazibat earns the most. All that greatest scene is now available to viewers only on the system of paid broadcasts - said Čađenović, who trains and enjoys:
- Low-kick is incredible and there is nothing better than a fight with an equal quality rival. Those fights are like chess games. Although it is difficult emotionally, mentally and physically when the fights are day after day, so now in Zagreb it is possible that I will have three fights from Friday to Sunday - concluded Čađenović.
Training before or after work, showcases are increasingly full of the biggest medals
Although he won five major medals last year, Nemanja Čađenović trains before or after work.
- That's at least seven training sessions a week, and 10 in preparation. It also requires big sacrifices in nutrition, losing weight. I hope to be an intern in one of the police units that inherit the tradition of filling the ranks with top athletes, and I graduated from the Police Academy.
I will also be a scholar of the Alliance and it will be incomparably easier. This is a dangerous sport, but great recreationally, and that's how I started at the age of 15. But I loved this sport too much to give it up and I went through all the ages from cadets, juniors and now seniors. I started on time, because it is important to gain experience, to feel the ring... At first there was resistance and discomfort on the part of the parents, but they got used to it - points out Čađenović.
Bonus video:
