FFC’s first two division champ Samo Petje will step into the FFC ring again this Saturday at FFC 30 Linz. Petje will fight in the same arena where he made his come back after devastating KO loss to Meletis Kakoubavas. And he never lost again. In the meantime, he retaliated in a rematch in Athens this year and after that he challenged then FFC welterweight champion Eyevan Danenberg, managed to defeat him and became the owner of two belts!
Ahead of his match this Saturday, Petje reveals why he decided to drop one of the belts as well as his thoughts on his opponent in Linz.
‘My goals are definitely high. I wouldn’t be doing this sport for so long if I didn’t have big goals. Now I will fight in Linz again. Last time I fought in Linz was after my seven month break and now I will step into the FFC ring again after six months hiatus and I don’t like that at all. I want to fight more often. I hope I will fight again soon right after this match.’
At FFC 29 Petje managed to do something most of people believed to be impossible. He fought FFC welterweight champion and Glory fighter Eyevan Danenberg and actually won! In this manner, Petje became FFC’s first two-division champion, but after that he decided to focus on lightweight again and drop his welterweight belt.
‘I wanted to fight Danenberg in welter because he was the champ back then. That was his territory. And I proved that I can fight anyone if I want to. But I’m not interested in welter. My natural division is lightweight and I will keep fighting there. I don’t care people did not believe in me. I’m self confident, I’m surrounded with people who have faith in me and for me that’s enough. I live for this sport. I sparred with bigger and heavier opponents and I realized that I have no reason not to fight the champ. People who trashed me and claimed that it was a stupid idea just motivated me to prove them wrong,’ said Petje.
Petje had to cut the weight again in only a couple of months, but he claims he has no problems with that while preparing for the upcoming match.
‘This is not a problem for me. I weight some 74, 75 kg, so I did not have to watch what I eat too much. I ate even before the weight-in, which is not usual. You always go through a crisis before weigh-in. I won’t have any problems this time either because it’s only two kilos, so it’s just routine for me,’ explained Petje. ‘My preps are going according to plan. I train with my coach Jure Cesar, I sparred at Alfio Romanut’s gym and I’m completely ready as I always am. I can’t wait!’
This time Petje will face young Romanian kickboxing prospect Eduard Chelairu nicknamed ‘Little Tyson’ due to his KO skills.
‘I studied his matches with my coach and we have a game plan. This match will be a routine. I have nothing to say to him, I can only wish him luck. People might think of him as a KO artist but he will not be able to reach my head just like that and he simply stands no chance.’
Final Fight Championship 30 will take place October 21 in Linz, Austria. FFC 30 tickets are available for purchase now: http://bit.do/FFC30_Tickets. Watch FFC live from TipsArena on Fight Channel World HD or www.fightchanneltv.com.
