4 of Jordan Boy's biggest fears

ONCE he steps into the ONE Championship cage, Kuala Lumpur’s Mohammed 'Jordan Boy' Mahmoud is as fearless as they come.

But believe it or not, this up-and-coming Muay Thai specialist — who is due to showcase his prowess in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai bantamweight contest in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday, 31 March against Panicos Yusuf — is not as invincible as we may think.

Here is a list of four of his biggest fears, and one which will motivate him more than ever to succeed in his mission of defeating the Cypriot at ONE: A NEW ERA.

#1 Heights

The 22-year-old’s biggest fear is heights.

“I’m afraid of heights and I have no idea why,” he confesses, cringing at the thought of even speaking about the topic.

READ: Malaysia's Jordan Boy all fired up for ONE Championship Tokyo bout

“I’m fearful of rollercoasters, cable cars, and anything that gets me off the ground. Perhaps it’s hereditary because my dad is also afraid of heights, as too my siblings. But of course, they’re nowhere near me — heights scare the heck out of me!”

#2 Walking alone at night

Although the Kedah-born martial artist enjoys spending time by himself, there is one thing he cannot do — walk alone at night.

“I have a fear of walking alone at night, especially late at night,” the athlete says.

“I guess it’s because I have a hyperactive imagination. I’m prone to imagining all kinds of things, especially the worst-case scenarios. I normally end up frightening myself!”

#3 Women

Mohammed lists the opposite sex as his third fear. But as he explains, he is not necessarily afraid of females.

“I'm not actually scared of women, I just get a little nervous around them,” he jokes.

“I’m a very shy person when it comes to women. I tend to keep my distance or keep quiet until you approach me. I might appear unfriendly to some people, but I’m really not. Those who make an effort to approach me will discover that I’m a talkative person.”

#4 Losing

What powers Mohammed's mind and body before a match is his last fear – the fear of losing.

“One of my biggest fears is to lose because when I lose, I feel that I’ve disappointed those who have tirelessly supported me – my trainers, my father, who has pretty much devoted his time for my journey, and of course, my family and fans,” the striker says.

“I fear disappointing people who’ve placed so much faith in me. At ONE: A NEW ERA, I promise to bring the victory back for my team and my Malaysian fans.”