GLORY middleweight champion Donovan Wisse will look to make his third title defense this weekend when he faces Michael Boapeah at GLORY Collision 6.
Wisse (19-1) would actually be making his fourth title defense, had an earlier opponent not missed weight. Either way, the defending champ spoke to Cageside Press ahead of the fight and noted that defending the belt has been even tougher than capturing it in the first place.
“What was harder is retaining, because every time, they are hungry, they want the dream. The belt is their dream, and I have it. My purpose is to hold them back,” Wisse told us. “At some point you just get used to it, and I’m used to it right now. It’s just another day at the office. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do— keep my title and go back home the winner.”
Like those challengers, Wisse had a dream of holding the belt, and he’s living it right now. That means staying focused and staying motivated. “It’s all I’ve dreamed about, and it’s my passion. That’s it. It’s my lifestyle.”
Donovan Wisse knows he’s in for another tough challenge against Boapeah— but expects to turn him back like all the others.
“Michael brings a lot of pressure, and he’s hungry. He’s a young guy, he’s hungry for the title,” Wisse said of his opponent. “He fights hungry. He takes risks in the fight. I think this is his style, it works for him, but it’s not going to work on Saturday. Because I’m prepared for everything he brings to the table. I’ve got my game plan ready. It’s just another day at the office. At the end of the day you’ve got to beat me, and you ain’t going to beat me.”
Fighting in the same division that spawned talents like Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira, Wisse also knows what sort of future could be in store for him as a GLORY champ.
“Look where they are now. They’re middleweight champions, they’re former champions, Alex Pereira is going to fight for a championship right now again.”
“If you look at what they’ve accomplished, my future is very bright. I just need to have the right mindset. I already have that. And to keep following my dreams and my goals and everything else.”
Transitioning to MMA is included in those dreams, with Wisse calling it “one of my dreams.”
“If the time is right— my focus is now on kickboxing — if the time is right to make the switch, I’m going to make the switch.”
While Wisse has a two-year contract with GLORY, he has done some cross-training. “A couple of trainings, but not that heavy because I’m the champion right now. The guys are hungry, they want to take what’s mine. So I did a few jiu-jitsu and wrestling trainings but that’s it, not that intense or stuff like that.”
Watch our full interview with GLORY Collision 6 star Donovan Wisse above.
