Shawon Choudhury prepares to defend his Almighty Fighting Championship strap on August 20th in Barnsley when faced off with Joe Fields.
Choudhury fights for that dreamy official number 1 flyweight ranking next to his name. The pairing are notably the country’s best amateur flyweight prospects at the minute.
We had the opportunity of speaking with the champion Shawon Choudhury ahead of the battle. Check out his thoughts in a Combat Sports UK exclusive interview below.
Interview With Shawon Choudhury
You are eleven days out from a huge flyweight title fight in amateur UK MMA. What’s going through your head as we close in on fight night? Does this fight have the big fight feeling for you?
The only thing going through my head is ensuring I keep working hard and doing my best in training because that’s all I can do. I believe everything’s already pre-written, so all I can do is prepare the best I can and give it my all in the cage and whatever is going to happen will happen. And honestly, every fight for me has a big fight feel, even going back to my debut. Having that mentality just forces me to work harder.
Joe Fileds is as tricky as they come When you attempt to digest his skills and break them down, what departments do you feel he is strong in, and perhaps not so strong?
Joe’s good everywhere the fight goes, but as to the more specific details, you’ll have to watch the fight to find out those answers.
Almighty FC is one of the most well-respected promotions in the country for up-and-comers. What does it mean to you to be headlining on Aug. 20?
Headlining the biggest show for amateurs on the scene at the moment is a huge honour. I mean, the fact our fight is the main event on a card that features pro fighters is just a testament to our hard work. I mean, how many other people can say they headlined a legit MMA fight show defending their title at 20 years of age?
Shawon Choudhury Talks Fields Matchup
When Almighty FC promoter Ray Thompson came to you with the name ‘Joe Fields’, what was your initial reaction? Did you know you’d eventually face him, considering where you both are at?
I was all for it. I knew I was alongside someone I was eventually going to fight, considering how well we’ve been doing recently. We’re the top guys for a reason.
What do you feel you bring to the table that Joe hasn’t seen before in his previous opponents?
Without giving anything away, I believe I bring a warrior mentality that others have just lacked. You’ve seen it once the cage doors close. I’m a different person.
What would it mean to you and your team to defeat Joe Fields, defend your title, and become the official number 1 flyweight in the UK?
Honestly, it would be a dream come true when I first started the sport, I remember people laughed when I said this is where I’d eventually be, and now, with the help of my team, I’m on the doorstep of achieving it.
The Takeover
Joe Fields stated he “will be taking over Almighty FC” on fight night. Do you have any response to that?
I plan on making sure that’s one statement that never comes true.
When you put your head on the pillow at night and visualise the fight. What do you see? How does Aug 20 pan out?
I see a tough, gritty fight with my hand being raised at the end of it regardless of whether that’s by a finish or decision.
I will give you the last word, champ. Is there anyone you’d like to thank or shout out?
Big shout out to my team at ACE MMA, the masterminds behind it all and my sponsors, Spice Empire, UK-plug and EA-therapy. Without their support, I wouldn’t be able to train as hard and relentlessly as I do.
Featured image credits to DN4 Photography
