Kane'ohe's Mike Malone lost to Hong-Man Choi, but won the approval of fight fans last night.

Choi defeated Malone by TKO in the second round last night to highlight the K-1 World Grand Prix in Hawai'i professional kickboxing card.

Choi, who is 7 feet 2 and 363 pounds, used his size advantage to overpower Malone, who is 6 feet and 219 pounds.

The bout ended midway through the second round when Malone could not continue due to what appeared to be an injured foot. It was scheduled for three, 3-minute rounds.

A crowd of around 3,000 at the Blaisdell Center Arena gave Malone a rousing ovation after the bout.

Malone survived the first round despite getting knocked to the canvas twice. The first time, Choi caught Malone with a knee to the head. Moments later, a left hook caught Malone on the chin.

In the eight-man open weight tournament, California's Mighty Mo defeated Russia's Aleksandr Pitchkunov by TKO in the third round of the final.

Mighty Mo — whose real name is Siala Mou Siliga Jr. — won three bouts by knockout to win the tournament. He earned a spot in the world championship tournament in Japan later this year.

In the fight for the K-1 heavyweight world championship, Morocco's Badr Hari defeated Japan's Yusuke Fujimoto with a devastating knockout left kick to the side of Fujimoto's head, ending the bout about one minute into the first round.

FINAL RESULTS

K-1 HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Badr Hari (Morocco) def. Yusuke Fujimoto (Japan) by KO kick, first round.

EIGHT-MAN OPEN WEIGHT TOURNAMENT

Final: Mighty Mo (USA) def. Aleksandr Pitchkunov (Russia) by TKO punches, third round.

Semifinals: Mighty Mo (USA) def. Jan Nortje (South Africa) by KO punches, 2nd round; Aleksandr Pitchkunov (Russia) def. Patrick Barry (USA) by unanimous decision.

Quarterfinals: Mighty Mo (USA) def. Kyoung Suk Kim (Korea) by KO punch, first round; Jan Nortje (South Africa) def. Julius Long (USA) by TKO kicks, second round; Patrick Barry (USA) def. Gary Goodridge (Trinidad and Tobago), stopped by doctor due to cut above Goodridge's eye, first round; Aleksandr Pitchkunov (Russia) def. Tatsufumi Tomihira (Japan) by TKO punches, first round.

SUPER FIGHTS

Hong-Man Choi (Korea) def. Mike Malone (Hawai'i) by TKO, second round; Remy Bonjasky (Holland) def. Glaube Feitosa (Brazil) by majority decision; Junichi Sawayashiki (Japan) def. Randy Kim (Korea) by TKO punches, second round; Peter Graham (Australia) def. Jerrel Venetiaan (Holland) by unanimous decision.

PRELIMINARIES

Ky Hollenbeck (Hawai'i) def. Mighty Mo Jr. (USA) by KO kick, first round; Takumi Sato (Japan) def. Billy Hall (Hawai'i) by TKO punches, first round.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.