Ture Asaboro “can’t wait” to step inside the FightStar Octagon to face the promotion’s heavyweight champion, Shah Kamali.
FightStar 25 is a milestone event as it marks the promotion’s 10th anniversary. The action-packed card is set to take place Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Indigo at the O2 Arena, London, England.
Ahead of the massive showing, we could catch up with Ture Asaboro. Hear what he had to say below ahead of his heavyweight title fight.
Inteview With Ture Asaboro
A few weeks out from you potentially adding another gold strap to your resume. Talk us through the opportunity on Fightstar and how it came about.
It’s a fight I have been chasing for about a year. Although it’s going to sound crazy, when I started a year ago, I always looked at the best in what I do. At the time, Shah was number 1 in the UK amateur heavyweights.
Brandon Guest (amazing fighter and a training partner now) was ranked above him but was going down to Light heavyweight. Arlind Berisha was going Pro, so that left Shah as the best in his division. So, in my mind, I always thought, “If I want to be the best in the country, I have to be able to beat him.”
I requested to fight him after my first fight and was told, “You need more experience.” Then I requested to fight him when I went 2-0 and 3-0. After I went 3-0, I was then told I could have the fight, but unfortunately wasn’t in the country. But that’s nothing because now we are here. It’s an opportunity I have wanted, and I am happy to see how this plays out. I believe it’s the best fighting the best. He has an amazing resume and has finished everyone in the first round.
Let’s see what happens, but I am looking forward to it.
Before diving into the upcoming fight on Aug. 5. I must touch on your most recent outing, which saw you defend your championship in an incredible turn-around in the dying moments of the fight. Please briefly give us your thoughts on the fight and how you feel you performed.
I did terribly in that fight, in my opinion. Although it may sound crazy because I won the fight, watching it back angers and annoys me. There were multiple things I should have done better and could have made it more comfortable. But we cannot change the past and can only learn from it. The only plus, in my opinion, I can take from that and all my fights is that as long as I am still breathing, there is a chance, and it isn’t over until it’s over.
I will never quit, as I know the coaches, teammates and people I walk in there with, and I never want to let them down by not giving my all for the victory. It’s a strange one, I was dominated for 98% of the fight, but all that matters is the outcome, and as long as I am always working towards getting my hand raised, that’s all that matters.
Ture Asaboro Talks Never Quitting
You dug deep, never quit up on yourself, and always believed you’d find a way. But truthfully, did you believe you had that in you pulling off a win like that? How much confidence does that give you moving forward and self-belief?
Self-belief-wise, I put that down to my training. I have always been taught, “If you want something, take it seriously and get it.” I have had that mindset towards my MMA journey. I have the mindset of train as much as I can to make combat as normal as putting on my trainers. That way, it’s the same situation you are used to, just in a different location. It allows me to always stay calm in absolute chaos.
Onto Aug.5, you’ll meet FSC heavyweight champion, Shah Kamali. Someone’s 0’s got to go. Can you tell the viewers why it won’t be your 0 that changes?
The only thing I know about Aug. 5 is that it will be fireworks. I don’t think this goes the distance, he is an elite finisher, and I do what I have to do to win. I think we will both be on a one-way trip to hell. Whoever gets off first loses that 0. God willing, it isn’t me, but I’ve taken myself there many a time, so let’s see if they have changed the furniture since last time.
Shah Kamali has a pretty good body of work, undefeated, and has a real knack for finishing fights. At this stage of your amateur career, are these the challenges you’re seeking to ensure you keep developing as a mixed martial artist?
In my opinion, he is the best active UK amateur heavyweight in MMA. Some say he is the best in Europe. These are the challenges I want and live for. I want to see where I stand in the pecking order. If you don’t test yourself against the best, then what is the point? Time to see what happens.
Breaking Down His Opponent
Looking at his game, break down his skillset and what he brings to the cage.
He is an athletic well-rounded fighter. He has fast, powerful striking and stops everyone he has been put in front of. Everyone thought he was just a striker, but he showed in his last fight, and his fight against Jaime Acton, that his grappling defence and offence are great as well. He makes openings and capitalises on them quickly, so if you think you can take a second off, you wake up looking up at the ref, asking what happened.
Fans should always remain seated when heavyweights collide. Never mind two tough, durable champions. What can the Fightstar audience expect when the cage door closes?
It’s going to be a great fight. He will come to send me to the Never-realm. I guess it’s my job to try and send him there first.
Two true heavyweights that are going to try and KO each other. He doesn’t want to go the distance, and because of that, I cannot. Someone’s 0 has to go. Let’s see who it is. I personally cannot wait.
Can Ture Asaboro claim his second title? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image credits to DN4 Photography
