Fabricio Andrade recalls rough childhood in Brazil growing up in poverty

Fabricio ‘Wonder Boy’ Andrade did not have an ideal childhood, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, his rough upbringing in Fortaleza, Brazil molded him into the person and the fighter that he is today.

Ahead of the biggest fight of his life at ONE Fight Night 7 against John Lineker, the top-ranked bantamweight in the promotion recalled the sacrifices his parents made just to give the family a better life.

The 25-year-old told ONE Championship:

“There was a lot spent on food and clothing, but they worked hard to try to put food on the table every day and make us grow well.”

Instead of cursing the powers, Andrade opted to play the cards that were dealt to him and made something out of himself through martial arts. He continued:

“It was always very difficult for me to talk about my childhood. My family and I were very poor. I went through many difficulties when I lived in Brazil and later when I decided to take the risk of living abroad.”

After literally shedding blood, sweat, and tears, Andrade made it out of those hard times and is on the cusp of greatness.

This Friday (February 24), the Tiger Muay Thai product can finally call himself a world champion if he beats his heated rival John Lineker in arguably the biggest rematch in the promotion’s history.

The thrilling action inside the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand will air live on US Primetime and stream free of charge to Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

Aside from his world-class fighting skills, what makes Andrade a special breed of talent is his unrivaled mental fortitude. That stubborn determination to succeed in life will surely be his key to victory against Lineker at ONE Fight Night 7.

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Fabricio Andrade was destined to be a fighter after rough childhood

Nowadays, Fabricio Andrade oozes confidence wherever he goes, however, things were not always like that, particularly during his juvenile years.

Before dedicating his life to Muay Thai and later mixed martial arts, the 25-year-old was just a timid kid who dealt with his fair share of bullies.

At a young age, he had to learn how to defend himself, which ultimately ignited his passion to pursue combat sports.

‘Wonder Boy’ shared in a ONE Championship interview:

“I wasn’t very outgoing, I was more quiet. Sometimes it happened that someone provoked me, but I found a way to return the provocation or defend myself. I always tried to defend myself. I never took s*** home, and I fought when I needed to fight.”