Former boxing and kickboxing champion Tyrone Spong was a scorching commodity within the fight sports activities house within the 2010’s, coaching with UFC stars at fBlackzilians and contemplating a transfer to MMA to hitch the UFC. He went 2-0 within the sport beneath the World Collection of Combating umbrella, however opted to pursue different avenues in kickboxing and boxing as a substitute.
A decade later, as he prepares for his Karate Fight title match with Sam Alvey in Dubai on Could 2, Spong displays on what his profession may have been.
“At the moment, I had a great contact and conferences with the UFC, with Dana White,” Spong instructed MMA Combating. “I like what Dana’s doing. I feel by far he’s one of the best promoter in fight sports activities. However at the moment I used to be the person on the town. I had so many choices, which is a blessing and a curse on the identical time as a result of it makes you indecisive.”
Spong received 12 of 13 kickboxing matches in a span three years, the identical interval during which he received two MMA bouts. The one kickboxing loss was a leg harm that stored him on the sidelines for nearly a 12 months earlier than he transitioned to boxing in 2015. Spong then received 14 boxing matches in a row with 13 knockouts. He paused his profession in 2019 and solely returned three years later, giving MMA one other strive however shedding to longtime veteran Sergei Kharitonov at Eagle FC.
“I used to be preventing MMA, boxing, kickboxing, all collectively,” Spong stated of the time he had conversations with the UFC. “I feel if you wish to go into the UFC, it’s a must to solely deal with that. One, as a result of the extent of competitors. And two, I didn’t need that at the moment as a result of I had these different nice choices, targets and achievements. And whenever you signal there, you’re caught on that contract. At the moment, the cash and being caught there was not price it for me. However like I stated, if it makes {dollars}, it is sensible, and the problem is true, why not?”
If the worth is true, Spong would think about going again to MMA sooner or later, however he’s now centered on competing for Karate Fight.
“My final MMA combat I did from an extended layoff, very quick preparation time,” Spong stated. “If it’s attention-grabbing, why not? Like I stated, I’m all about difficult myself and defeating the percentages. That’s the story of my life. I’ve defeated the percentages loads of instances and that’s the crimson line in my life and my drive. We’ll see.”
Fellow kickboxer Artem Vakhitov was the most recent pure striker to contemplate leaving GLORY for MMA, chasing fellow opponent Alex Pereira to the octagon. He had an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Collection, and got here out victorious, however turned down the contract provided to as a substitute return to GLORY to face their celebrity Rico Verhoeven.
“I perceive the UFC runs their firm in keeping with a sure enterprise mannequin,” stated Spong, who skilled with Vakhitov earlier than his DWCS combat. “I do suppose that there are some [exceptions], they do some stuff in a different way for sure individuals. Artem is a man that achieved rather a lot. I feel he beat their champion — or their ex-champion — a couple of times. Superb fights, shut fights. He wins the Contender Collection and then you definately wish to give him a contract on the identical worth of simply each different man? I imply, the man has a reputation. I don’t know his enterprise, I don’t know his life scenario, but when he turns it down, it was most likely not attention-grabbing for him.
“So I feel he stands by his resolution. Was it the best name? Solely he is aware of, I can’t reply for him, however if you happen to made that call, it was most likely the best resolution for him.”
Spong, who turns 40 in September, doesn’t suppose that might have occurred with him.
“I’m fairly positive I might get a greater provide from the UFC,” Spong stated. “I imagine so as a result of I do know what was provided to me years in the past. It was not a bullshit provide. I received’t go into particulars, nevertheless it was not a foul provide. In no way. It was not unhealthy, however like I stated, I had so many choices the place I may do extra and had extra challenges and cement my legacy in fight sports activities normally that I opted to not take it at the moment.
“Do I remorse it? What ifs don’t rely. It occurred. I didn’t do it at the moment. For those who go and suppose, what if I had accomplished it? For those who take a look at sure guys, and the successes that they’ve whereas I do know that, as a fighter you’re assured, the place I do know that I may beat these guys. Perhaps I made the improper resolution, perhaps not. Who is aware of? We’ll by no means know.”
