Tyrone Spong back in familiar territory against Bonjansky, eyes boxing, more MMA

UFC on FOX 7 receives three-hour ‘UFC Prelims’ special on FX

After readying himself for a career in MMA, Tyrone Spong is returning to familiar territory: the kickboxing ring.

“This is actually a little bit more easy for me, because it’s something that I’m totally used to,” Spong, who meets multi-time K-1 champ Remy Bojanksy at GLORY 5, told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

GLORY 5 takes place at ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London. The event’s main-card airs live via online pay-per-view.

After a residency with the Blackzilians in Boca Raton, Fla., the Dutch and Surinamese Spong announced his arrival in MMA with a first-round knockout this past November.

Spong (68-6-1 Kickboxing) said he moved away from kickboxing because he felt there was little left to achieve in the sport. He won several titles in multiple divisions (though he fell short of a K-1 title). MMA offered much more in the way of upward mobility.

At the same time, he left the door open to exciting matchups in kickboxing, and even considered professional boxing (he currently spars with several pro boxers). The decorated Bonjansky (77-16) fit the bill for the former.

So for now, MMA can wait.

“I’ve been preparing for kickboxing fights my whole life,” said Spong, who added that he now integrates wrestling into his kickboxing workouts. “The MMA fight was really something else for me. I’m facing a big champion in Remy, but that’s also something that I’m really looking forward to.”

Spong said the two never met in the kickboxing ring because he bounced around weight classes for several years, and Bonjansky, who won the K-1 Grand Prix in 2003, 2004 and 2008, took a three-year hiatus from the sport.

“He took off from the sport for a while meant we never collided,” he said. “But everything happens for a reason, and now is the time.”

There’s a greater goal to fighting in different combat sports, as well.

“There are some big fights out there like this that get me motivated, and I just want to be remembered as one of the greatest kickboxers and combat sports athletes out there, because I’m focusing on MMA and boxing, too,” Spong said. “I want up to build up my legacy.”

Beating the 37-year-old Bonjansky would be a huge feather in Spong’s cap, of course.

“I don’t really do predictions, but I can predict it’s going to be one hell of a fight,” Spong said. “I’m going to get the ‘W’ by any means necessary.”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.