This past Saturday’s It’s Showtime card made one thing perfectly clear: Kickboxing needs Badr Hari. However, while it is a fairly simple statement to make, it is one that is far more complex when trying to justify. As writer robinhorobson noted in a fantastic post, kickboxing in the Netherlands and more specifically Amsterdam, is associated with organized crime because of a few fighters, Hari being one of them. However, at this time, the Kickboxing world needs Badr Hari, much like Gothem City needs Batman.

Badr Hari is not a good person. In fact, he’s probably one of the most horrible people in any sport, known as much for his actions inside the ring as he is for his associations with known drug dealers outside. At times, it could be argued that kickboxing would be better off without the Golden Boy. He’s one of the main reasons that the Amsterdam Mayor can make any sort of argument about the kickboxing association with organized crime. He’s created a headache for both It’s Showtime and K-1 with his actions in the ring, having been disqualified for stomping both Remy Bonjasky and Hesdy Gerges. However, at this moment, with It’s Showtime making inroads in the American market, there is no better time to be Badr Hari.

As much of a headache he can be, he’s also far and away the most marketable kick boxer in the world. Fans are drawn to him, making him almost a folk hero. His walkout during his fight with Tony Gregory, his return fight after a year layoff, was almost Ali-esque. Badr Hari is a figure that for many, he can’t do any wrong. He is judged for his exciting fighting style alone and his transgressions are ignored. With the lack of K-1 for the foreseeable future and Alistair Overeemfocusing solely on MMA this year, the kickboxing world needs Badr to become the man that he’s been built up to be. During the 2009 K-1 World Grand Prix, he was the focus of the entire marketing campaign and was well on his way to becoming the face of the organization before running into Semmy Schilt in the finals.

With no Alistair Overeem and the only other top Heavyweight stars in Daniel Ghita and Tyrone Spong fighting with any sort of regularity, Hari is in perfect position to lead It’s Showtime into the American market. Possessing the qualities needed to breakout in fluency in english as well as a captivating fight style, he’s in a unique position where he can truly fill the role of poster child not just for the organization but for the entire sport. While there are far more talented kick boxers, they don’t possess the necessary qualities to draw both money and eyeballs to the growing sport. Badr Hari is not the hero kickboxing deserves but the hero it needs.

by Matthew Roth on headkicklegend, commenting Badr’s featured photo as “not the hero we deserved, but the hero we needed”