ONE Championship

An eight-man tournament with a World Title shot waiting at the end begins this week for one of kickboxing’s most traveled veterans.

Marat Grigorian opens his run in the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament against Russian standout Mamuka Usubyan at The Inner Circle 25 this Friday, August 7, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium.

The winner of the eight-man bracket earns a guaranteed shot at reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon. Grigorian enters as one of the favourites off the back of a spectacular victory over Kaito Ono at ONE SAMURAI 1 this past April in Tokyo.

The Hemmers Gym representative has previously challenged for ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World gold, and a run through this bracket would put him back in that conversation.

Between training camps, the three-time Glory Kickboxing World Champion has built a reputation for something beyond the ring: a genuine passion for travel that helps him recover between fights. Raised by parents who worked tirelessly to build a better future for their family, Grigorian has never taken the rewards of his career for granted.

“After my fights, I take some time off just to focus on my life,” Grigorian said. “There’s no better way to just shut down everything and relax at a destination. This helps me grow mentally. It keeps my mind fresh before and after fights, restores my energy levels, and keeps me sharp before I continue fight camp or training.”

Marat Grigorian eyes a path to Superbon

Should Marat Grigorian advance through the bracket, his immediate travel plans will be put firmly on hold in favour of camp and competition. A deep Christian faith and a longstanding wish to bring his parents to Jerusalem sit near the top of his priorities once the tournament run is complete, but that ambition waits behind Friday’s opening assignment.

“I actually don’t have anywhere planned for my next trip,” he said. “But we’ll see. Now, I’m just focused on this fight and the tournament. I don’t want to think about my next holiday yet. If I win the tournament, I’ll maybe take a nice holiday and celebrate it with my parents.”

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM