Gregoire Gottardi of Toulon, France, a two-time ISKA and WCTS European kickboxing champion, is an iconic figure in one of the world’s most popular combat sports. Inspired by legends such as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Buakau Banchamek, Gotthardy is now forging his path in martial arts and building a professional sports career. The next step in that journey is his upcoming fight at the SENSHI 23 International Fighting Gala on September 7 on the beach in Varna, Bulgaria. This will be his third appearance in the SENSHI arena, the previous two times he walked away with championship belts from the circuit and now told more about his preparations in an interview with Dir.bg. You can see his previous SENSHI matches here and here.
Gottardi began his career at a very young age and at 28 years old he already boasts an impressive professional record of 60 fights, 49 wins, 17 of them by knockout.
Outside of the ring, Gregoire Gottardi enjoys his family and is motivated by the goal of reaching 100 professional fights in his career.
How long have you been training in martial arts?
I have been training various martial arts for 15 years. I started training karate at a young age and at 14 I switched to kickboxing and found my true passion. I went to Thailand at the age of 19 and gained valuable fighting experience in kickboxing and Muay Thai there, having stepped into the ring against 31 experienced fighters over three intense years.
Can you describe a typical day of training for you before SENSHI 23?
Usually, when I’m preparing for a professional meet, my team and I go through a hard training regimen. Right now, I split my training during the day into two parts – physical training in the morning and boxing in the afternoon. I like to do sessions with dips.
What has been your most memorable fight so far and why?
Out of all the 60 professional fights, one stands out where I managed to achieve victory after losing the first and second rounds. For me, it was an outstanding achievement and I turned the fight around in the last round, chasing the win at all costs.
Who has been your toughest opponent?
My toughest opponent in the ring so far was Manachai from Thailand
How do you stay motivated during tough times?
I want to do 100 professional fights in my sports career. So far, I have always strictly followed my goals and I am already on the right trajectory that I want to take me to the top of kickboxing in my weight class.
What advice you will give to aspiring fighters?
Train hard and don’t let anyone say anything about you. I strongly encourage those who already play sports or are considering it to give it their best, both in training and in their daily lives.
How are you feeling about your upcoming fight?
My participation in the grand International Fight Gala SENSHI 23 demonstrates my commitment to excellence. I am happy for this fight and can’t wait to be there!
Do you have a message for your fans and supporters?
Come to SENSHI 23 on September 7 in Varna, Bulgaria to see me in action. I promise you a truly memorable match, as I will give my all in the ring! Fans can follow me on Instagram where I share my matches and victories.
The 23rd edition of SENSHI is organized in cooperation with the KWU International Professional League and with the special support of Armeec Insurance Company, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group—a BMW dealer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Service, and St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding.
The media partners of SENSHI 23 are Boec.BG and Boec.COM, Bulgaria ON AIR, MAX Sport, the American online combat sports television TrillerTV, Dir.bg, YouTube channel KOD Sport, Kwunion.com, Kyokushin Karate News, Fighto.News and Novinata.bg.
