Bulgarian kickboxer Dragomir Petrov recorded two wins and one loss at the spectacular Grand Prix tournament during the international fight gala night SENSHI 31 Gladiators. On May 30, at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, he became the runner-up in the spectacular lightweight tournament following a dramatic loss in the final bout.

“I was ready to become champion. The crowd was incredible, and I had tremendous support. It was just an unfortunate turn of events. I felt pain in my left calf during the very first match. Apparently, my opponent, the Italian fighter, had watched my previous fights and took advantage of it. He picked the right moment and was better in that match. My leg gave out, and there was no way for me to continue,” Petrov told Bulgaria ON AIR.

It turned out that the Bulgarian fighter had suffered a torn muscle. He is set to undergo physiotherapy for two to three weeks and will take a longer break in order to recover fully.

“I want to dedicate time to my son and my wife. I’m going to take a temporary pause because Saturday, May 30, was very emotional,” Dragomir Petrov said in an interview for the morning show “Bulgaria Morning.”

“Last year was very difficult, but now I made a proper comeback. If it hadn’t been for this injury, I could have taken the victory in the final. I was extremely motivated and in peak form at SENSHI 31. At such a high level, one strike can decide the entire match,” he added, noting that the support from the audience made him feel like he could not lose the fight. “They supported me constantly. It was the best feeling I’ve ever experienced in all the fights I’ve had so far,” Petrov admitted to the viewers of the morning show.

The fighter explained that he feels a responsibility to show something new and continue improving every time he steps into the ring. His achievements give him the confidence to keep measuring himself against the best athletes in the sport.

“You have to truly love this sport. If you do it for money or just to show off to someone, things won’t work out. It requires many sacrifices, great discipline, and the injuries are serious as well. You need a lot of persistence. My goal is to set an example for young people and show that we are no less capable than other countries. I won’t force my son into sports if he doesn’t want it, but I want to give him a good example,” the Bulgarian fighter commented.

The full video interview with SENSHI Grand Prix runner-up in the 70 kg category, Dragomir Petrov, can be viewed on the Bulgaria ON AIR TV website.