“This is what gives me the strength” - World title challenger Felipe Lobo relishes being his family’s biggest provider

What motivates a fighter to continue putting their lives on the line in the world of combat sports varies from athlete to athlete.

For Felipe Lobo, being the breadwinner of his family is what got him to this level of fighting, and the man who grew up in the favelas of Sao Paulo, Brazil, gets his shot at glory in the limelight as he challenges Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship on Friday, February 16.

That bout will mark his fifth under the ONE Championship umbrella, and while he has already faced a who’s who of fighters, punctuated by a highlight reel knockout of Saemapetch Fairtex, Lobo’s drive to succeed came at a young age:

The Brazilian star openly shared his story through ONE Championship’s Instagram page:

“I had never been away from my family, but at age 20, I came to live in Thailand. My family went through a lot of difficulties and I think about helping them all the time.”

Leaving home was certainly not an easy decision for Lobo, but it would turn out to be the right move - for both his career and family:

“For the first five months, I cried a lot. It was the most difficult time of my life. This is what gives me the strength to continue fighting”

---

Felipe Lobo reveals advantage against Jonathan Haggerty

The bright lights of the main event could cause a fighter to tense up, but Lobo is unlike any other man and even pointed out that his mental toughness is his biggest advantage against ‘The General’.

ONE Fight Night 19 will take place inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

ONE Fight Night 19 is available live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.