Chessboxing

I take it this was all inspired from Enki Bilal’s NIKOPOL TRILOGY, of which a new film adaptation called IMMORTEL (or GOD DIVA here in Japan) is being released here next week. From RT:

What the hell is chess boxing? you might ask. Simple answer: a funny kind of sports (?) where the opponents switch back and forth between chess board and boxing ring, fighting one round each until either checkmate or knockout — or the closing bell after the 11th round! The spectacle was initiated by Iepe Rubingh, the man who caused quite a chaos with his barrier tape action on Shibuya’s Hachiko crossing four years ago. Talking drivel of an ultimate game and a “new Olympic discipline,” Rubingh is currently visiting Japan. Don’t miss the exhibition’s opening, where a demonstration fight will be shown.

More info at the World Chess Boxing Organization’s website, as well as the Time and Style site, where the event in Tokyo takes place.