Kye Stevens is anticipating a quick night at the office ahead of his professional lightweight bout with Stelios Theocharis at Shock N’ Awe 32.
Portsmouth Guildhall will be the home for the promotion on the night, with a variety of mixed martial arts and kickboxing contests on display. Those in attendance will certainly be getting their money’s worth.
I caught up with Kye Steven ahead of Saturday’s bout with Theocharis. Stevens is hunting his third victory in the professional ranks following a successful last outing over Charlie Guest at Shock N’ Awe 31.5. See Stevens’s pre-fight thoughts below.
Interview With Kye Stevens
Four days out from fight night. How has preparation been ahead of your contest with Stelio Theocharis?
Preparation for this fight has gone great. No injuries or niggles, just smashing it day in, day out. I’ve been in camp since the start of the year, just trying to stay busy. I fought last month in March, which ended in a no contest, so I was straight back in the gym after that fight with another month to prepare for Shock N’ Awe.
What improvements can we expect to see from you since your last victory over Charlie Guest?
I feel I’ve improved so much in every aspect since that fight, from the striking, wrestling and grappling. After getting that win over Guest and being the first to fight back after Covid, it just made me hungrier.
On the topic of your last bout with Guest, you found yourself back in the winning bracket after facing your first defeat as a pro. How did you view your overall performance against Guest with some time to reflect? Were you totally satisfied with the victory?
I was fairly happy with my performance against Guest. It felt good to get a win over a slick striker like him. But after watching it back, I believe there was still a lot of work to be done, always room for improvements.
Who has helped you the most in the lead up to this one? Who’s been a solid training partner throughout this camp?
Has to be my boy Charlie Hatton who is also fighting this weekend. We’ve been putting in work together since the gyms reopened back last year. He’s flying through the Ammy ranks right now, so expect big things from him in the future.
You’ll meet a solid Stelio Theocharis on the night. How do you feel about this matchup and Theos as an opponent?
To be honest, I see him as no different than any other opponent I’ve fought, just another stepping stone on the way to where I want to be. But he clearly comes to fight, and you’d be silly to underestimate the nickname ‘Warlord’.
Have you had time to watch any of Theo’s previous fights back? Looking at his overall game, compared to yours, how would you put them up against one another in each department? Do you feel you have the edge anywhere, or is there anywhere you need to be careful of in his game?
I’ve watched some clips of his fights, and I see myself dominating him anywhere the fight goes. He’s a come-forward fighter, so it could be a short night for him, and if he wants to wrestle, then he can expect to be getting thrown around a lot.
Lastly, what type of fight are you anticipating from Theo’s and how does it unfold this Saturday?
I’m looking to get the finish early, and I see myself knocking him out in the first round, but a fight’s a fight, so if it goes into the second or third round, so be it. Either way, I’m prepared for war, so expect fireworks!
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Featured image credits to Kye Stevens
