With just a couple of months to go till his Lightweight MTGP and ISKA World Title fight at the Zenith Arena in Paris on Saturday 24 June, Bailey Sugden shares some of his thoughts about his kickboxing background, the fight camp leading to the upcoming contest and of course about his opponent Takeru Segawa.

“I think a lot of people are seeing this fight as his fight, but in my eyes Takeru is just a step on my journey,” he told Beyond Kick in a recent interview. “There’s not much pressure on me really, he’s expected to do all this stuff, I’m just using him as a stepping stone to creating my legacy.

“Someone asked me the other day: “Where are you fighting next?” I said Paris, and they said: “You’re so lucky!” I said I’m not lucky. I train three times a day – that’s not luck, that’s hard work. That’s why I’m here.

“I’ve always known I wanted to be a fighter, from as long ago as I can remember. There’s nothing else in the world that interests me really, other than fighting. “

To read the full interview, just follow this link – and watch this space for more interviews coming soon in the run up to that big night in Paris!

Featured image by Rick Wilks, Primal Pixels Photogrqphy