ONE light heavyweight kickboxing world champion Roman Kryklia keeps his mind sharp through reading

Roman Kryklia understands that the fight game demands as much from the mind as it does from the body. While he hones his skills physically in the gym, reading books is his way of keeping his mind working.

In a recent interview, Kryklia revealed that he is an avid reader and takes lessons from each book he encounters:

“Now, I am reading ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ by Bill Bryson. It is brilliant and touches on different subjects from geology and particle physics to Earth formation, the Big Bang, you name it. I love popular science books very much. Normally, I read two books at the same time – a fiction book and a pop science book. I always read books to the very end, even if it is difficult,” said kryklia.

Kryklia has enjoyed this hobby since childhood. While other kids would find heroes in movies or TV shows, the 30-year-old found his in books.

The Ukrainian warrior cites “The Three Musketeers” as one of his favorites growing up. Having started training in martial arts at the age of six, the book resonated with him as it showcased the martial art value of courage.

As he prepares for his upcoming bout, he discovered a new way to enjoy his hobby:

“When I am in Thailand for my fight camp, I have less time to read books, but I got into the habit of listening to audio books. It is nice to walk around and just listen to them. It’s very convenient.”

---

Roman Kryklia needs to fight smart against Murat Aygun

On Friday, Roman Kryklia will defend his ONE light heavyweight kickboxing world title against Murat Aygun in the co-main event of ONE: Full Circle. Kryklia will need every bit of his physical and mental strength to overcome his latest challenger.

Aygun holds a professional kickboxing record of 17 wins with only one loss. Nicknamed ‘The Butcher,' the Dutch-Turkish fighter has shown that he has explosive power behind his strikes, with six knockout wins to his name.

Standing at only 185 centimeters, Aygun has constantly found ways to defeat taller opponents like Kryklia in the light heavyweight division. In his seven-year career, he has amassed multiple titles in the sport and is looking to add Kryklia’s title to his collection.

However, Roman Kryklia has not been beaten since 2018, which is a testament to how he works to improve as a fighter in all aspects. Will his improvements be enough to hold off Aygun?