Past comments aside, Kyoji Horiguchi insists that he is ready for title fight
MONTREAL --- Back in January, after a decision win at UFC 182, Kyoji Horiguchi told members of the media that he was a few fights away from being ready to challenge for the flyweight world title. Fast-forward to this week, and the Japanese power-striker is on deck to challenge champion Demetrious Johnson in the main event of UFC 186.
We caught up with Horiguchi in Montreal, Thursday, and asked him what he thought of those comments from a few months ago. Is he or is he not ready to fight possibly the world's best fighter, pound-for-pound?
"I am ready," Horiguchi said, solemnly, with a reassuring nod.
At this point, he has no choice but to believe that. The champion doesn't put much stock into Kyoji's humble comments from a few months ago, however.
"No, I think he was just being humble," Johnson tells us.
"It is what you say - 'Oh, I can improve, I could do to have a few more fights.' He's a humble guy. I think he's real hungry for this opportunity, though. And, he's been beating a lot of people and has a long winning streak. He believes he's ready."
Johnson's coach Matt Hume agrees and lets us know that the champion's team isn't underestimating Horiguchi. "He's a very good fighter," Hume says.
"He's on a very good winning streak and he has power in his strikes."
He also has a coach who knows Johnson very well. The 24-year-old has trained at the Krazy Bee gym under the tutelage of former world champion Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, who fought Johnson back in 2011.
Johnson won that contest by unanimous decision. Among other highlights, Johnson was able to take down the high-level wrestler. That's one reason why Hume isn't too concerned that Yamamoto has been able to convey any potential useful secrets to Horiguchi about fighting Johnson.
"He's trained with 'Kid' for a long time so some of that is bound to rub off on him, but they are very different fighters," Hume insists.
"Yamamoto is an Olympic-level wrestler, and DJ took him down. Horijuchi is a striker."
For his part, Kyoji seems fully aware that each fight is its own. Furthermore, he insists that his coach hasn't attempted to give him personal perspective on fighting "Mighty Mouse."
"You know, not really," he says.
"What he always tells me is that this is just another fight. This fight is the same as any other."
Of course, in some ways, it is quite different than any the young fighter has ever been in before. Horiguchi has had the brightest spotlight of his career shone on him in the leadup to UFC 186.
In addition to the increased media obligations, Horiguchi has had the usual grind of training, and weight cutting. With the fight finally so near, Horiguchi seems eager to get in there and scrap, but there is something he wants to do, at the moment.
"First," he clarifies, with a straight face, before breaking into laughter, "I want to eat some food!"
