Losing to Lohore? I wouldn’t change a thing. I experienced the biggest support in my career, said Jumacek. Will he be part of Tipsport Gamechanger?

Matúš Juráček faced Alex Lohore at the last tournament in the O2 Arena, which was the biggest challenge of his career. However, he had to miss the Christmas holidays again because of this fight.

“I couldn’t do anything. It was five days until the weigh-in, I was in the hardest week of my diet and I couldn’t even salt. I had to drink eight litres that day,” he said with a smile.

Ahead of the fight, many expected the bout to provoke a trash talk between the two fighters. They were unusually quiet in the end, and there was no bad blood between them.

“Why should there be anything between me and him when a Frenchman and a Czech, who do not know each other at all, are going to fight? I don’t know what else people want, it’s enough that we both want to knock each other’s head off… I mainly say that a dog that barks doesn’t bite,” Juráček explained.

The Czech fighter was in trouble at the end of both rounds. Lohoré increased his pressure and was heading for the finish. Where was the problem for the Czech fighter?

“There was no problem with concentration, I danced on my feet, got the first jab in the counter and went to the back. I felt the punch, I won’t say I didn’t, but I was concentrated and I tied up my opponent right away, so I solved the crisis moment well,” he added.

Although he held on for two rounds, he eventually fell. At the start of the third round, the Frenchman knocked him down hard and although Yuracek still tried to continue the fight, it was clear it was over.

“I was out of it, he hit it well and as he was finishing me and I was on the ground, I lost consciousness for a moment. Pavel Touš (referee, editor’s note) finished it well, I still wanted to fight, but it was over and in the mode I was in they had to explain it to me for a while.”

Lohore’s skills were too much for the Czech fighter, who had his first defeat in the Octagon. What did the wrestler with ancestors from Ivory Coast surprise him with?

“I was surprised that the punches were hard and I didn’t expect it. He had a real punch, but the pressure didn’t surprise me, I was expecting that and I think I was able to control it. The match was decided by my mistake, I did the same thing over and over again, which worked, but my opponent noticed it and took advantage of it.”

Every defeat hurts, but at the same time it can push us further if we take it as an example. Does the conqueror of Pukač, Primera or Široký plan to change anything for the next fight?

“I wouldn’t change anything, everything happens for a reason and I did the best preparation I can. I was in top form, showed improvement and thanks to Alex and this fight I will be even better.”

As it happens, a fighter can’t avoid criticism after a defeat, even after the quality performance that Yuracek put on. The haters mainly deal with the constant fighting from the retreat.

“Every fight I want to get better and better. I only take criticism from people who understand and I don’t care about the rest. Next time it will be better, but I will keep dancing around my opponent and get better.”

During the match we could hear shouts that we see more in football stadiums. Some of the audience were Slavia supporters, which could be heard in the half-time support chant “Red and White Power”.

“I could hear the Slavs, it gave me strength. I was really happy for the atmosphere, both the Slavists and the Czech MMA fans were cheering for me. I experienced the biggest support in my career.

I was really touched when I walked out of the hall past the stands and people started clapping for me, shouting that they were with me after winning and after losing, it really made me soft.”

Yuracek fought only once in 2022. The year before that, we saw him in the cage three times. Are we going to see him get more work and how is he doing health wise after the hard KO?

“I’m in good health, a slight concussion and my leg was kicked, but luckily I was ready for it. I’ll do a week of rehabilitation exercises and then next week I’ll go to work.

Now in January I’ll be sparring free, then I’ll start sparring as well and I think by March I’m ready to fight again. I want to do as many fights as possible this year.”

We can also look forward to his fight with Andrey Kalashnikov, with whom he exchanged a few words in the past. “We’ll see, we know each other and we are rivals. We both want this fight, so as soon as we are ready, we can go for it.”

“It’s like a world championship for me, a tournament of the best 77 from the world and I would like to be there. I think my agent Jirka Müller will know more, but it doesn’t look good yet. But if you make a big wish, the whole universe comes together to make it come true, so we’ll see. But I want to go there and win,” he ended the interview.

Source:: Ruik.cz