Their professional records tell only part of the story here.
Coquitlam native Keanan Kellar (1-0) will go head-to-head with Portland's Johnny James Jr. (1-0) in a middleweight bout on Friday evening at Mamba Fight Night 8 in Burnaby, B.C.
Even though both men have only competed once professionally, they're arriving with impressive amateur pedigrees — Kellar at 5-1 and James Jr. at 4-3 in the amateurs.
Given the abilities they both bring and their amateur backgrounds, Kellar, 24, considers this the standout fight of the entire card.
"I see this as an absolute scrap. In my view, it's easily the best fight on the card, and it's also the most evenly matched," Kellar told MMA Empire during an interview.
"We're both young and hungry, and I'm confident we'll deliver something special for the fans. It's a clash of contrasting styles, and I genuinely believe mine is far superior."
James Jr., 25, is traveling down from Oregon into Kellar's home province, and he's fully aware he's stepping into hostile territory.
Though he says having the crowd behind Kellar doesn't rattle him, he recognizes the finish is essential if he wants to walk away victorious.
"I need to finish the job. Facing the hometown fighter, we've seen decisions go against us in Canada before, and that's not a risk I want to take," James Jr. explained to MMA Empire.
"My mental approach is simple: don't leave it to the judges, go out there and secure the finish."
Kellar Built For Pro
Kellar took his first professional step in July, earning a second-round TKO victory over James Foster at Rise FC 4.
He described feeling great during his first outing under professional rules and feels the transition works more in his favor than against him.
"I really enjoy the pro rules. They give me advantages that don't work for every fighter," Kellar noted.
"Elbows are a huge part of my arsenal, particularly on the ground. I'm planning to use them heavily in this fight to counter his close-range boxing."
Even though Kellar secured the TKO over Foster, he admitted it wasn't a matchup he was excited about since he holds respect for Foster as a person.
He says that hesitation won't exist this time around against James Jr.
"I hold a grudge against James Jr. and his camp because they wasted my time multiple times last year. I was originally booked to fight James Jr. once and his teammate twice," Kellar said.
"There won't be any hesitation punching him in the face. Honestly, I'd rather dislike the person I'm fighting."
James Jr. Well Prepared
At 5-foot-10, James Jr. faces a serious height gap against the 6-foot-5 Kellar.
Compared to previous opponents, James Jr. says he's made subtle training adjustments to deal with Kellar's size, and he expects those tweaks to serve him well on fight night.
"The game plan shifts. I can't let him dictate range from the outside — I have to either close the distance completely or stay fully out of it," James Jr. said.
"My edge lies in takedowns. I should be able to cut through that distance and get to his legs much easier."
James Jr.'s own professional debut came in April with a third-round submission win over Nick Mills at CageSport 56.
He expressed satisfaction with the grappling portion of that performance and indicated he'll lean on it even more going forward.
"It feels great to control someone for 15 minutes and maintain constant pressure," James Jr. remarked.
"I doubt Keanan will know what hit him."
Kellar's Shoutouts
"I'd like to extend my gratitude to my coaches Ken Tran and Nabil Salameh." Follow Kellar on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
James Jr.'s Shoutouts
"I want to thank Brandon Miller, Fabiano Scherner, and Andy Minsker." Follow James Jr. on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
