Richard Abraham will face Antoine Pinto at GLORY 38 on Friday in Chicago and is on a four-fight win streak in GLORY Kickboxing. However, the struggles and self-sacrifice to get to where he is today have been extremely challenging and would’ve ended the fighting careers of lesser men.
Abraham (11-3) is tombstone engraver by trade while raising six children, which is a very demanding proposition for your average person let alone for someone trying to maintain a career as an elite kickboxer.
As if that wasn’t enough he also runs his own private gym where he trains and coaches other fighters as well as personal training clients. Richard’s work ethic and modesty are second to none but his mindset is truly what sets him apart and is something that has helped him to overcome adversity in his personal life, especially in recent years when his first born son passed away after five days of being born.
Losing his first born was traumatic for Richard and his spouse, however, the long-term effect it had on Abraham was to make him even more determined to develop his legacy as both a fighter and a man that would honour and remember his son’s name, Maximus.
“My legacy and stuff is right here on my shirt, Maximus. that’s my first son, he passed away at five days old that’s where my legacy lies. I’m really accomplishing, I feel I really am putting myself in good positions and not only that, people know the name more and more. I really feel like I’ve come a long way with my goal on that and that’s my legacy. I don’t care if people don’t know much about me – they know his name – that’s a very serious dedicated Dad that loves his son and that did everything he could to make sure they know his son’s name.”
“What I’m doing for my son has pushed me even harder and even with my guys. We’re a private gym, I don’t let people in my gym you know, we’re a private facility and we only work with guys that fit in with us. All the guys get the same talk: respect the gym but you’re also representing my son; and don’t for one second get caught talking sh-t, hold yourself with respect no matter what the things are. Hold the standard extremely high cause this is my son, so and that’s the example wanted to set and we’ve all done it, so, I’m happy.”
Such resilience and drive is what usually sets champions aside from other men but on Friday night at the Sears Center, Abraham goes up against a younger Muay Thai champion in Pinto who holds an outstanding record 130-36-1.
Will the gulf in experience work against Abraham who is undefeated in GLORY, or, will Abraham’s sheer willpower and technical skill-set claim allow him to claim his fifth successive victories in Chicago?
Click here to listen and download the full podcast with Richard Abraham.
