California comes calling
Brakpan Herald sports journalist Logan Green caught up with JP Buys a month before his first professional bout on foreign soil.
On October 15, last year, former Sherwood Gardens resident and Brakpan Wrestling Club champion JP Buys became the youngest fighter in Extreme Fighting Championship’s (EFC) history to win a title when he defeated Baldwin Mdlalose in an interim flyweight title bout at Sun City.
The fighter was scheduled to face Nkazimulo “Zuluboy” Zulu in a title unification bout at Carnival City in March at EFC 57, but the fight could not take place due to the latter being hit by a car while busy with his morning run in preparation for his fight.
Since then, Buys (21) has secured a bout on the international mixed martial arts (MMA) scene.
He will be taking on Californian fighter Josh Paiva in a flyweight bout at the Jackson Ranch Casino in Calfornia, in the USA on Saturday, August 5.
Herald sports journalist Logan Green caught up with the fighter a month before his first professional bout on foreign soil.
LG: Tell us about your upcoming fight in the States and how it all came about.
JPB: I am fighting at a show called GKO10 (Global Knockout). I was home in South Africa preparing to fight against Zuluboy when I received a message from one of the best teams in the world, Team Alpha Male, which was a fight offer. I will now be competing on August 5. I will be representing Team Alpha Male, but there is no doubt that I will also be representing my home team Fight Fit Militia (FFM) just as much.
LG: What do you know about your US opponent Josh Paiva and what are you expecting him to bring to the fight?
JPB: I know he used to train with Team Alpha Male, but somehow their paths separated and they now have some bad blood. He has fought two Team Alpha Male athletes since, beating one of them and losing to the other. He is ranked as the third best flyweight in California. I know he has a decent ground game, pretty good Greco Roman wrestling ability, but nothing too amazing. I know he is a tough kid and does not give up, so I expect him to bring the full 15 minutes of fighting.
LG: How have you developed as a fighter since you last stepped into the hexagon?
JPB: It has been a long time since I have fought. It has been nearly 10 months! I train full time and I have had two trips to the US since then. I have grown so much as
a fighter and as a person. Not many people know what it takes for us to train full time
LG: What has the support been like back home in South Africa?
JPB: The support from back home from my family, friends and from Team FFM has been amazing. They believe in me more than I believe in myself. I feel like a lot of
people have doubted me because other South Africans have not been making it on the international scene, but I won’t be one of them. I am young, hungry and ready to show the world what “The Jungle” (Africa) is about! Man, I get goosebumps just saying this. I am doing this for more than myself. I am doing this for my country. I am doing it for my brother’s children Torlquin, Rogan and Brookelyn – my little champs. I am doing this to be the best uncle in the whole world. I won’t let my people down. I don’t think people know how much it takes to leave family behind and go do this. I would also like to thank the people who supported and helped me to get this far, but, believe me, this is only the beginning.
Also read:
Buys becomes youngest EFC title holder
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