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When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. For 24-year-old Ellis Badr Barboza, life hasn't always been smooth sailing, especially during his early years.
Perhaps it could be said that fighting has always been a way of life. Living on the streets of Birmingham with his mother, he grew up with his fists raised as he learned to defend himself.
Something had clicked the day he walked into a Muay Thai gym. The raw aggression he once carried found purpose within the discipline of the sport.
In a feature episode by Fightlore Official, the future champion candidly spoke about his beginnings in combat sports, saying:
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"I had my first fight when I was 12. It was just an amateur fight to start with. I didn't win this fight, but I love Muay Thai, so I stuck with it. I love the discipline of it. So I went straight back to the gym and continued my journey in Muay Thai."
Barboza's newfound love for the sport eventually led him toward the top, earning him the title of WBC European Muay Thai Champion.
But hunger is insatiable for the British fighter. With his eyes set on the global stage, he is now looking to conquer ONE Championship, the world's premier combat sports promotion.
Watch the full feature here:
Ellis Badr Barboza dreams of world title glory vs Prajanchai at ONE Fight Night 28: "I want to cement my legacy"
'El Jefe' Ellis Badr Barboza is set to headline the ONE Fight Night 28 card with dual-sport champion Prajanchai in a world title shot for the Muay Thai belt.
The 24-year-old British fighter is looking to make a statement in the world of martial arts, and he is planning to do it with an upset victory over Veteran nak muay Prajanchai on his home soil.
"My main goal is to become a ONE Championship world champion. I'm very close. After this, I want to cement my legacy and defent my belt, and when people think of Muay Thai, I want people to think [of] Ellis Barboza [as] one of the best fighters in the world."
ONE Fight Night 28 will be taking place on February 7 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. Watch it live on Amazon Prime.
