When I was 11 years old, Juan Carlos Izquierdo he had to leave Ecuador. The death of his father pushed him to travel to spain to live with his mother, who had been living in Europe for some time.
Although he has not returned to his homeland since then, he confesses that he is “one hundred percent Ecuadorian”.
Ecuadorian Luciano Tapia, first in the BMX World Challenge
Read more
Although the current world champion of the International Federation of Mixed Martial Arts (IMMAF, for its acronym in English) represented Spain in the United Arab Emirates tournament, makes it clear that “Ecuador is my origin, my family”.
His link with this sporting discipline was given after deciding quit judo, where he trained and even competed in high performance. Today he dreams of reaching the big leagues.
“There were injuries (in judo), a bit of frustration and I started to flirt with other sports like brazilian jiu jitsu. Now I see that mixed martial arts were my place”, he tells EXPRESO.
Although his family thought it was a tantrum, now that Juanca Carlos had his first fight as a professionaland that ended with a victory by submission, they are clear that he can go very far.
Currently, it is part of the Kiofu Team with which he established himself as champion of Spain, while he is trained by David Balarezo.
“Bala (Balarezo) has been very important in my career, he defines the strategies. In boxing, my coach is Gabriel Campillowho was world champion”, details the Ecuadorian by birth, who has a training routine of four to six hours a daywhile at work he works as head of the technical office of a theme park in Madrid.
Gerlon Congo: “We hope that the government’s support for athletes will continue”
Read more
Regarding his fighting style, he stated that he usually frustrates the rival. “They see me small and think I have no reach, I don’t hit, but my hands are heavy, I have a lot of confidence in my hands. My style is dodge, hit and finish. In the professional debut I beat a Brazilian boy who came out with everything to want to put a knee to the head. Until we went to the ground and I obtained submission by guillotine, ”says El Chapo, a name he received“ for being short ”.
Left’s plans are drawn. He is scheduled to have his next professional fight in September, which he hopes will be another step in his quest to reach the big leagues as Bellator o UFC. About his desire to return to Ecuador are latent, I would like in the future to be able to have a fight in the country; value what has been done Chito Vera.
“It has opened a very big path for us Ecuadorians so that they realize that there is talent. He is a person with great ambition, I love the way he fights, ”she sentenced.
TRICOLOR NOVELTIES
Morales at UFC 277
Machaleño fighter Michael Morales will face Adam Fuggit this Saturday, July 30 at UFC 277, his second official fight within the most important MMA company.
Dana White’s Contender
Andrés Luna Martinetti, another tricolor who is fighting to enter the UFC, lost his fight against the Brazilian Alessandro Costa, in the first episode of the program for UFC candidates.
