After compiling a pretty extensive amateur record, welterweight prospect Jon Gover made his move to the pro ranks last year, picking up a first round TKO win in his debut.
“It was pretty amazing actually turning pro,” Gover told MMAWeekly.com. “I had about 11 amateur fights, but turning pro was a goal I’d had set for myself and accomplished.
“I fought Justin Gardner, and he’s a pretty good stand-up guy, and I ended up taking him down to the ground and TKO’d him with elbows and punches.”
Aside from some rule differences, the main thing Gover has had to adjust to as a pro is the down time he anticipates having between fights.
“I like to keep my fights shorter in between,” said Gover. “I don’t know if it’s because of ring rust or something like that. I normally don’t wait this long between fights.
“You pro record is what really matters, and you don’t want to be taking any and every fight like you would as an amateur, so it will take a little more patience, but it’s something I’ll get used to.”
Along with MMA, Gover gained attention after being stabbed earlier this year, when he came to the aid of a restaurant worker who was being attacked by a customer with a knife.
“It was definitely unexpected, but it’s helped me with my fighting career and publicity and everything with that,” Gover said. “It was a horrible situation what happened, but it’s definitely helping out.”
Gover (1-0) will have his first fight of the year when he takes on Jorge Cordoba (5-4) in a main card 170-pound bout at CageSport 44 on Saturday in Everett, Wash.
“He’s a Karate guy,” said Grover of Cordoba. “I expect him to stand up, and I like standing up, I’m more of a kickboxer, so I’m excited for it. I’m going for the knockout, and I’m sure he is too, so I don’t think we’ll be standing at the end.”
With his first pro fight out of the way, Gover seeks to have an active 2017, and hopefully get a chance to move up to the next level sooner than later.
“Hopefully get a couple more pro fights in and look towards one of the big promotions like World Series of Fighting, or Bellator,” he said. “I heard that they’re supposed to be coming to the Northwest pretty soon, so it’d be nice to get one on of those shows before the end of the year.”
