When you think about the professional athletes of Curaçao, the first things that comes to mind are baseball and soccer players. You would never think about the talent we have in fighting sports like kickboxing or mixed martial arts. Island Sportlight took the opportunity to take a different twist and interview Brandon Fos, who is a 28-year-old successful professional kickboxer in The Netherlands. Brandon was born in Curaçao but moved to the Netherlands at the age of five, where he has been living there ever since. The Netherlands became an important chapter in his career.
Do you visit Curaçao often? Do you miss it?
“Curaçao will always be home. I still have a lot of family members living there and I try to visit as much as I can. Before the pandemic I was there more often, but nowadays it has been difficult to travel. This is how I started to invest more time in kickboxing. During the pandemic, with all the lockdowns, I started to think about my purpose in life. My coach, Dayon Mungra helped me through this process and together we came to the conclusion that kickboxing would be perfect for me. I really wanted to become successful in this sport, so I started training more and be more dedicated. Kickboxing became an important part of my life and that’s why I started to travel less to Curaçao. But one thing is for sure, I love my island and I would love to go back as much as possible. This is why I also represent Curaçao and show off the flag at all my fights.”
How did your kickboxing career start?
“When I was approximately 16 years old, I was very dedicated in the gym. During my training I was approached by a friend of mine to join him for a kickboxing class. I tried it out several times and I really enjoyed it. The level at that particular gym was a little low so I contacted an old trainer of mine. This story is a bit funny actually, because this trainer who I contacted, actually approached me when I was 10 years old to join his gym where they focus on kickboxing. At that time I was not interested, but fast forward seven years later, it was a whole different story. I started training with him and after one year I was rewarded with my first amateur fight at the age of 18.”
And how did your first fight go?
“Of course, my first fight meant a lot to me. I become nervous very quickly, especially when I have to fight in front of my parents and hundreds of people. But as soon as the fight started and I knocked my opponent down with a kick, I felt this rush and adrenaline. I realized that I was made for this. After that win I immediately got back in the gym and during one of those training sessions, I tore my ankle. I had to walk around with crutches but I was so stubborn that I didn’t listen to the medical advice. I wanted to keep training because I was so dedicated to the sport. During another training session I felt the ankle again, my coach realized that something was wrong and because of my stubbornness I got a serious injury that lasted for two years. After this period, I was able to start training again and got my first Pro fight at the end of 2018 which resulted in another win and this is when my career really took off.”
Are you still with the same coach and team since you started?
“Yes, absolutely! Until the end with my coaches Dayon Mungra, Milton Felter, and Leroy Ballinfit. My head coach, Dayon is the one who got me into this sport and I have been training with him ever since!”
Can you tell us a little bit about the kickboxing/fighting scene in Europe?
“The kickboxing scene in Europe is pretty big with a lot of different levels. You start with amateur fights and after that you get to the pro fights, which I am doing right now. There are many options in the Netherlands. The biggest organizations worldwide right now for Kickboxing are Glory, One Championship, and Enfusion. At the moment I have a 3-year contract with Enfusion and I am happy with it.”
You fought your last fight at the end of March, and now you are already fighting again in May, how do you feel?
“At first, I did not want to do the fight because I am also doing Ramadan. It can be difficult to train for a fight while fasting. But thinking back on the goal I have and knowing how important this fight is for my career, I told my coach that I wanted to do it, against all odds. I’m training twice a day and I feel great!”*The event was moved to May 28th.
What’s your goal?
“Right now it’s do or die! The average kickboxing career is a short one and you never know what can happen in this sport. That is why I want to give my all at this moment because I’m already 28. My goal right now is to win the Enfusion title. Mixed martial arts are also becoming more popular right now and I would like to try them out in a future, but right now my goal is to focus and reach the top in kickboxing. I want to hold that belt and see where the road takes me.”
Do you have a message for your fans in Curaçao?
“Keep supporting us kickboxers! There are a lot of talent in the fighting industry coming out of Curacao, such as Endy Semeleer, Jordann Pikeur, Jay Overmeer. They shine on big stages! It feels nice to receive the support from our island, the same way I like to represent Curaçao. I feel blessed to be from this little rock called home!”