After capturing the Prestige FC amateur welterweight championship, Dan Kovalchuk isn't satisfied resting on one victory.
The Black Diamond fighter, Kovalchuk (5-1), faces Calgary's Ramil Kamilov (4-2) in a bout for the empty XFFC amateur welterweight belt Saturday evening at XFFC 22 in Grande Prairie, Alta.
The 22-year-old Kovalchuk credits his win over Mark Mosure to secure the Prestige FC crown at Prestige FC 11 with a major confidence surge, and believes adding a second title on top of that would push him even higher.
"It's definitely going to give me another confidence boost, seeing that I'm progressing well and can compete with people who have been doing this for awhile," said Kovalchuk in an interview.
"It's going to be a great honour to gain more achievements."
Kovalchuk has already tested himself against quality opposition, having gone three rounds against Mosure, David Garcia, and James Nelson in consecutive outings.
He expects the same level of intensity from Kamilov, a prospect he welcomes.
"I'm excited for this fight; my name was on the list for awhile and I didn't have an opponent," said Kovalchuk.
"I'm really happy I'm going to fight someone like Ramil as well who holds a good record and is a good fighter."
Across six amateur bouts, Kovalchuk has never gone the full distance — three contests ended in the opening round and three more in the second.
"There's regular jiu-jitsu sparring, and then there's a whole different approach that works much better for mixed martial arts—that's what I focus on."
Like Kovalchuk, Kamilov is stepping into his second consecutive title bout, having previously fallen to Grande in the 2019 Canadian National Amateur Championships final at Rumble in the Cage 61.
With his amateur days winding down and his professional journey on the horizon, Kamilov explained that capturing a championship belt has been a goal of his for some time now, something he'd like to accomplish before transitioning to the pro ranks.
"Having a belt would mean a lot to me because after all these amateur bouts, I haven't got any to call my own," Kamilov remarked.
"I'm genuinely excited about getting that belt, particularly the XFFC one—it's a design I really admire."
Kovalchuk's Shoutouts
"My heartfelt thanks go to my crew at Dynamic MMA and Okotoks Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the incredible training and backing they've given me." Stay connected with Kovalchuk online: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
Kamilov's Shoutouts
"Shoutout goes to my training partner Chad Anheliger. He's been around the block a long time and having someone with his experience on my side means a lot." Keep up with Kamilov on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
