Eric Kelly. Photo from ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
Filipino mixed martial artist Eric Kelly plans to continue to jump around gyms as he prepares for his upcoming fight against Japanese featherweight Kotetsu Boku in ONE Championship’s Kings & Conquerors on August 5.
Unlike most fighters who train under one stable, Kelly doesn’t stay under one group and instead travels to different gyms to fine-tune his submission-based style of fighting.
“For me, I don’t have a stable gym where I train at full-time. I train more naturally. Whichever gym I find myself in, that’s where I train,” said Kelly (12-3). “Mostly, I just watch YouTube videos and apply it to my training and then I go to some gyms to test it out. I am in the constant search for more knowledge for my career.”
“I have been doing this for the past eight years. I am still confident as to how I conduct my training. It has given me success in the past. I still believe that it will give me the success in my upcoming fight. It all boils down to discipline.”
Kelly has suffered a minor slip in his ONE Championship tenure losing two of his last fights against Narantungalag Jadambaa and Ev Ting.
He plans to stop that slide as he takes on the 40-year-old Boku (25-11), who’s five years his elder, come their Macau fight.
“It’s been a year since the last time that I fought. I am looking forward to put on a great performance for my beloved country,” said Kelly.
“I have been training hard and going through strategies. I hope to give my 110 percent in the cage in Macao. I am coming to win.”