For UFC fighter, Palm Beach Gardens gym provides Plan B
By Jeff Ostrowski, The Palm Beach Post, Fla. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Barboza's retirement planning includes a partnership at Valor Martial Arts, a
"I know the fighting career is just a couple years," Barboza said. "The gym is forever."
Barboza, 28, fought in a prime-time bout shown nationally on Fox in April -- for a sum of
Those high-profile matches make him the biggest name at Valor Martial Arts, whose partners include
The 4,600-square-foot gym on
Valor Martial Arts President
"It's a very ruthless career," Romano said. "You need to have a Plan B."
Barboza moved to
Despite his 13-2 record -- he won a 2012 bout with a spinning leg kick knockout that remains on Internet highlight reels -- Barboza's pay remains far below that level. When Barboza fought
Cerrone, a veteran lightweight ranked a few notches ahead of Barboza by MMAJunkie.com, was paid
Is that a paltry payday for risking serious injury, or just the price of pursuing your passion? Barboza said he's pleased with his deal with the
Boxer
"In boxing, it's 80 percent for the fighter and 20 percent for the house," Barboza said. "In the UFC, it's 20 percent for the fighter and 80 percent for the house."
Barboza plans to retire at 35. That leaves seven years of intense training.
The 5-foot-11 Barboza fights at 155 pounds, a weight he makes only after severely dehydrating himself. His natural weight is 175, but Barboza follows the UFC tradition of slashing weight and then replenishing with an I.V. in the hours leading up to the fight.
"I cut 20 pounds like that," Barboza said.
He works out as often as three times a day and constantly battles nagging injuries.
"You've got to know how to deal with the pain," Barboza said.
Indeed, UFC fighters face the threat of injury and long-term brain damage. Mixed martial arts pose a risk that's "right up there with boxing," said Dr.
"The UFC hasn't been around as long as boxing, so we haven't seen the patterns of chronic tramatic encephalopathy," Cantu said. "But it'll happen."
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