Phil Lauzon (3-1) will look to capture gold for the first time when he faces Mike Brackett (2-0) for the vacant BFL amateur 175-pound title at BFL 64 this Saturday in Coquitlam, B.C.
As per usual, Lauzon plans to step into the cage with the same do-or-die attitude that’s got him to where he is.
“I don’t think it’s going to go the distance that’s for sure. I think someone is gonna get finished,” Lauzon said in an interview.
“I’ve never been to the judges in MMA and I’ve only had a few decisions in muay thai. It’s either I’m finishing them or they’re finishing me.”
For a kid who grew up in a smaller town, finding the opportunity to train martial arts was challenging for Lauzon.
During his formative years, he got involved in all kinds of sports, and later on it was his father who helped him take a step towards a career in fighting.
“I was into wrestling, and sports growing up, but we didn’t have anything like MMA when I was a kid in Red Lake, Ont.,” Lauzon said.
“As I got older, my dad and I would make a three-hour trip to the gym and back together just to be able to train. It made for some long nights; it was a commitment and a half for sure. I moved out here (Kenora, Ont.) four or five years ago now and I’m way closer.”
Results Don’t Come Easy
As Lauzon has grown older so has his love for MMA, but that doesn’t mean he admires every aspect of the fight game.
“Weight cutting is definitely the worst,” Lauzon said.
“Thankfully, I’m not dealing with that too much right now. It does suck getting shark tanked at the gym, constantly having a fresh guy on you when you’re tired. But that’s where you get work done and improve.”
In the sport of MMA, one of the hardest things to do is translate what you do in the gym to the cage.
Staying focused and calm, like in training camp, is where Lauzon feels he’s made the biggest improvements since he started fighting.
“I used to get crushed at the gym every single day,” Lauzon said.
“As the years go by, you start to catch yourself making improvements. You start tagging guys you couldn’t before, and you’re not getting tapped out as much as you used to. You stop flinching as much and you become more and more relaxed when you actually step in the cage and fight.”
Calm and Composed
Lauzon said his biggest strengths are being calm, expecting any possible outcomes and not overreacting. So, when it comes to Saturday’s title fight, you can expect him to pick his spots as he searches for his fourth straight finish.
Lauzon’s opponent, Brackett, is used to the 175-pound weight class, but that’s no cause for concern for the 20-year-old Lauzon.
“I know he’s a big strong guy, but I’ve always been the smallest guy. I’m the youngest at the gym right now, so I’m used to training with bigger, stronger guys. It doesn’t really affect me at all,” Lauzon said.
My last fight I didn’t cut any weight, and the guy I fought was at 185 pounds before he fought me, so I’m used to it. I usually fight at 155 pounds, so I don’t have to cut much weight for this one.”
This fight is an opportunity for Lauzon to win his first career title and it’ll put him one step closer to making it to the bright lights, what every fighter dreams of doing.
“I’d love to win the belt and then defend it a few times before going pro. Anyone can go pro at anytime, but once you do, it’s a totally different game. So, I want to be 110 per cent confident in myself before I make that decision,” Lauzon said.
“I still have some things I want to work on before I do that. I know some people that jumped the gun, but I think I’m on the right track and, in a matter of time, I’ll get there.
Lauzon’s Shoutouts
“Everybody at United Fighter Martial Arts Academy, and big shoutout to my parents.” Follow Lauzon on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
