Eric Kelly talks to the media at his hotel room ahead of his ONE Championship fight against Kotetsu Boku on Saturday at Cotai Arena.
MACAU—Eric Kelly has built himself an impressive mixed martial arts resume going 12-3 in his professional career and is often regarded as one of the most experienced Filipino fighters.
And yet there is still someone who’s more seasoned than the 35-year-old from Baguio City.
Kotetsu Boku is five years Kelly’s senior and has done what the Filipino hasn’tand that is to win the ONE World featherweight title.
“Boku’s a legend, he’s a veteran fighter so come Saturday I’ll be wary of him,” said Kelly in Filipino Thursday at his hotel room in Holiday Inn. “Boku is a skillful fighter, but with his age he might tire faster than me.”
“We all know that when you age, you get winded quicker unlike those younger fighters and I think my training regimen in Baguio will give me the advantage in stamina against Boku.”
Kelly, though, has been dormant for the past year after losing Narantungalag Jadambaa and he’s eager to erase his previous disappointments once he takes on Boku (25-11-2).
His loss against Jadambaa was his second straight, third overall, and going up against Boku is a task Kelly does not take lightly.
“Well I hope I can do my best against Boku, I’ve prepared for him well,” said Kelly who doesn’t train under one stable. “I want to prove that even though there are younger fighters than I am I can still proudly represent the Philippines in MMA.”