MMA: Ev Ting won't bow down to Russian fighter, Marat Gafurov

Ting, who will be taking on Gafurov, who is also a former ONE: WARRIOR's QUEST M1 champion told Rivals that he has been training for long and hard to come unprepared.

To the question if he's ready or not is 'silly', said the 25-year-old boxer.

“He (Gafurov) is a world-class opponent, and like all fights, it is never easy,” he added.

The Russian has a knack for grappling, with six submission victories to his name, as well as three stoppages and a decision win to round off his record.

Despite his opponent’s impressive credentials, Ting remains defiant.

“Gafurov is undefeated for a reason, but he will not be prepared for what I have in store for him.”

Ting owns a win over the popular Will 'The Kill' Chope, who he defeated by knockout and exhilarating finishes over Filipinos Edward Kelly and Cary Bullos.

His fight with Kelly in Kuala Lumpur ended in a knockout after Ting scored a brutal head kick, dropping the latter flat to the floor in a single shot.

Ting was also victorious in his ONE Championship debut last year, a 1st-round TKO over Yohan Mulia Legowo.

“My style matches up terribly against anybody,” said Ting.

“If Gafurov wants a boring fight he can grind me out with his grappling body lock, but if he wants to entertain, I will be in the center of that cage ready to bang.”

However, simply pursuing war inside the cage is but seemingly pointless in the grand scheme of things. Like all fighters, Ting draws strength from those close to him.

“I fight for my team, my family, my friends, for myself and for my legacy here on Earth,” said Ting again.

Born in Malaysia but raised in New Zealand, Ting was always driven by his ambition to be the best in whatever he did.

When a nearby gym opened near his home in Auckland, Ting met Hamish Robertson, the mastermind behind Auckland MMA, who is also the person responsible for grooming Ting's MMA career.

Astro AWANI also took the opportunity to speak with Ting in an interview recently. he talked about his upcoming fight with Gafurov, his strategy and training.

Astro AWANI: You gave another stellar performance in earlier in March this year at ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS and now you are back in the cage in May.

Ev Ting: Thanks. Yes, I am super excited. I’ve been truly blessed in my journey so far.

ET: This is for sure my biggest fight to date, I consider Marat a higher ranked fighter than myself on paper. However, I believe in my grind, since training full time and professionally for the last 6 months, I feel I can be ready for anyone with the smart amount of work.

AA: What do you think your chances are? Do you think you are the underdog coming into the fight?

ET: It is a very interesting fight as he is a star in Europe being a M1 Champ. Underdog or not, this bout is guaranteed a graceful clash of fighting styles with sprinkles of violence.

AA: You are going against tough Russian fighter Marat Gafurov and the winner is on the way to a title fight. What is your strategy against a guy like Marat?

ET: Sir Matt Hume could not have matched this title contention bout any better to suit this time of both our careers. I know Marat is a very sharp with his wrestling and BJJ, my strategy is always the same. Punch him the in face and keep adapting to the moment.

ET: Fight camp is similar to every camp, except I keep a diary each time and I will advance it for each fight. Not exactly more hours, (Training 2 a day, 6 times a week is good for me) it is adjusting specific drills and conditioning work in to prepare for the bout smartly.

AA: Do you plan to strike more or focus on your ground game? Russians are quite well-rounded with both.

ET: I would love to meet him in the middle of the cage and have a kickboxing fight with him, however I am sure he is smarter than that so I am preparing all aspects of my game. Improvement is my middle name.

AA: Do you have any rituals you practice leading towards a fight?

ET: Sweat and drink a lot, listen to good music, embrace every moment

AA: What do you think is the biggest challenge for you as a fighter?

ET: To build and sustain a loyal support fan base and to be favoured by promoters and everyone else that counts. Asides that it would be resisting delicious foods available, especially in Malaysia!!! I have an eating disorder ...

AA: Any special message and shout out to your fans?