Jayden Eynaud set to travel to Russia for next fight as he eyes third Muay Thai world title belt
A MAFS star and Muay Thai world champion is set to defy government advice and travel to a war-torn country for his next fight as he continues a Gold Coast legacy. Details.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
For fighters, there’s often nothing more dangerous than stepping into the ring.
But ahead of Jayden Eynaud’s next fight, simply getting to the ring may pose more risk than the fight itself.
Why? That ring happens to be situated in war-torn Russia, not that it phases Eynaud.
“I’m pretty sure it’s in a part of the country where the war’s not going on, I don’t know much about it,” said Eynaud, who featured on Channel 9 reality TV program Married At First Sight earlier this year.
“All I have to do is rock up and fight.”
The Australian government advice on Russia is “do not travel,” citing an “ongoing risk of arbitrary detention or arrest” and a “high ongoing threat of terrorism” among other dangers.
In March, Europe’s deadliest terror attack in 20 years was carried out at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall where over 130 people were killed and 100s more injured when a handful of gunmen opened fire, and Russia remains at war with Ukraine.
“I’m not really worried … for me, it’s my job, I fight and I travel,” Eynaud said.
“If I die doing it then f---, so be it.”
Eynaud’s transport, security and accommodation will all be taken care of by event organisers Ural FC, and the fight will be in October.
It comes after Eynaud secured the World Boxing Council’s Muaythai cruiserweight world title with a first round knockout of Gerardo Atti in Southport last weekend.
He is now cruiserweight champion in both the WBC and the World Muaythai Council.
“It’s basically exactly half my life now I’ve been working towards having both of these belts so it was good to finally get it,” he said.
“He was the best in the world, he’d been champion of this division for years now, he only had one loss in his entire life, he was smashing everyone.
“I came into it thinking it was going to be a really hard challenge but I landed the right shot at the right time.
“I’d really like to have some time off and enjoy some rest but I’m not that type of person … I’m going to get straight back to the grind and working towards the next belt.”
After his fight in Russia, Eynaud has his eyes on the World Muay Thai Organisation belt, the sport’s third biggest council behind the WBC and WMC.
He is following in the footsteps of fellow Gold Coaster Nathan Corbett, who of his 11 world titles also held the WBC and WMC cruiserweight belts.
“Corbett was a huge knockout artist,” Eynaud said.
“It feels good to be able to walk in his shoes and get both of his belts and do it in a pretty devastating way.”