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.
Bo ta bishitá Kòrsou regularmente? Bo ta sinti falta di bo isla?
“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?
“Ora mi tabata tin mas o menos 16 aña, mi tabata masha dediká den gym. Durante un training, mi a ser aserká pa un amigu pa mi djòin e den un lès di kickbox. Mi a hasie diferente biaha i mi a gusté hopi. E nivel na e gym aki tabata poko abou, pues mi a kontaktá un trainer bieu dimi. E storia aki ta poko prèt, paso e mes persona aki a aserkami ora mi tabata tin 10 aña di edat pa mi bai su lesnan di kickbox. Na e momentunan ei mi no tabata tin interes, pero 7 aña despues ta kompletamente otro. Mi a kuminsá train ku ne i despues di 1 aña, ora mi tabata tin 18 aña, mi a partisipá na mi promé ‘amateur fight’. “
Kon bo promé pelea a bai?
“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.”
Bo tin e mesun coach i e mesun team for di momentu ku bo a kuminsá?
“Si, sigur! Mi ta keda te na fin ku mi coachnan Dayon Mungra, Milton Felter i Leroy Ballinfit. Mi head coach, Dayon ta e persona ku a hinkami den e deporte aki i semper mi a train ku ne, te awe!”
Bo por konta nos un tiki di e industria di e deporte aki na Oropa?
“Kickbox na Oropa ta hopi grandi, riba diferente nivel. Bo ta kuminsá ku ‘amateur fights’ i djei bo ta bai pa ‘pro fights’, lokual ku mi ta hasiendo aktualmente. Tin diferente opshon na Hulanda. E organisashonnan ku ta mas grandi mundialmente ta Glory, One Championship i Enfusion. Na e momentu aki, mi tin un kontrato di 3 aña ku Enfusion i mi ta hopi kontentu ku esaki.”
Bo último pelea tabata na final di mart i awor bo tin den mei, kon bo ta sinti pa ku esaki?
“Na promé instante, mi no kier a hasi e pelea aki, paso mi ta hasi Ramadan. Ta difisil hasi ayuno i train na mesun momentu. Pero mi ta pensa riba mi meta i kon importante e deporte aki ta pa mi. Mi a bisa mi coach mi ke hasie, apesar di tur kos. Mi ta train dos biaha pa dia i mi ta sintimi bon!”
Kiko ta bo meta?
“Aworaki mi ta bai tur tur! E promedio di un karera di kickbox ta kortiku i bo no sa nunka kiko por pasa den e deporte aki. Ta pa e motibu ei mi ta duna tur ku mi por aworaki, paso mi tin 28 aña kaba. Mi meta aworaki ta pa gana e título di Enfusion. Arte marsial miksto tambe ta birando mas popular i mi lo ke praktiká esaki den futuro, pero aworaki mi meta ta pa yega den tòp di kickbox. Mi ke tene e belt i wak unda destino ta hibami.”
Kiko ta bo mensahe pa bo fanátikonan na Kòrsou?
“Keda sostené e atletanan di kickbox. Tin hopi talento di Kòrsou ku ta kosechando éksito den e industria di bringamentu, manera Endy Semeleer, Jordann Pikeur, Jay Overmeer. Nan ta bria den kompetensianan grandi! Mi ta haña great pa haña apoyo di nos hendenan i tambe ta un honor pa semper representá mi isla unda ku mi ta. Mi ta bendishoná di tin Kòrsou komo mi kas!”