Planet Loud recently caught up with FX3 champion Pete Mercer in Liverpool to find out more about what it takes to become a Champion in the cage..
Planet Loud – So who are you?
Pete Mercer – My name is Pete Mercer – born in Liverpool trained in London. Training background – trained as a boxer from an early age in Cambridge. Moved on to doing K1 after that. Did a lot of fighting outside when I was younger and channelled my energy into where I am now.
Planet Loud – How did you get into Martial Arts?
Pete Mercer – It was the aggression side of things that got me interested. I like to strike things and I went through MMA and found myself ending up in K1.
Planet Loud – What is your preferred discipline?
Pete Mercer – K1. That is a form of fighting which has a bit of everything in it from Thai Boxing, Western Kick-Boxing – all sorts of stand-up martial arts rolled into one really.
Planet Loud – How long have you been training?
Pete Mercer – I’ve been training from an early age. Nine up until thirteen then I came away from it for a while and got back into it when I was 18 or 19. I’ve trained ever since and have a lot of fight experience now.
Planet Loud – What do you get out of it?
Pete Mercer – You can’t beat the feeling after a fight. I don’t want to look back when I’m older and regret not doing it.
Planet Loud – You said that you were involved in fighting when you were younger. Did you get in trouble?
Pete Mercer – Yeah, it was the usual getting into fights, getting caught, getting in trouble with the police, that sort of thing.
Planet Loud – People say that kids should be encouraged off the street and into the ring, do you agree with that?
Pete Mercer – 100%. Not only does it get you off the streets but you find that a lot of trouble is caused by insecurities – that’s what I found – you feel the need to prove yourself. With training not only does it get you off the street but it gives you confidence and you find that the better fighters are the ones who are confident and not just loud and lairy.
Planet Loud – Would you describe yourself as insecure?
Pete Mercer – I have my insecurities yeah but everyone does. Now I’m a lot more confident.
Planet Loud – What about growing up? What was your childhood like?
Pete Mercer – Childhood was brilliant. Loved it. Very poor but very happy.
Planet Loud – What is your usual training routine?
Pete Mercer – In the build up to a fight I’ll go for a run then go to the gym for padwork maybe five or six rounds of that, bag work, conditioning work, on the cardio-machine to keep my weight down and condition my heart rate. Then in the evening it’ll be sparring, techniques and that sort of thing.
Planet Loud – Okay, tell us about your last fight?
Pete Mercer – I fought against a guy who, to be honest, I didn’t know that much about so I was a bit wary of him but I ended up knocking him out. I’m pretty happy because it was a quick knockout something like 17 seconds of the second round.
Planet Loud – It was a title fight wasn’t it?
Pete Mercer – Yeah, I won FX3 Heavyweight K1 title. They took the belt off me after the fight and I haven’t got it yet.
Planet Loud – That’s not your first time in the cage is it?
Pete Mercer – No, it was my third time in the cage. Three fights, three wins. Undefeated so far. Touch wood.
Planet Loud – What’s it like getting in the cage?
Pete Mercer – First time its intimidating but its actually more intimidating actually walking down the runway to the cage. You actually start to think “shit, it’s actually happening now..”, once you’re in there the nerves go.
Planet Loud – How different is it getting in the cage to getting in the ring?
Pete Mercer – Well, let’s face it, boxing isn’t the same these days. It’s more of a gentlemans sport than a combat sport. You can’t be having that.
Planet Loud – You mentioned being nervous on the runway, what is going through your mind?
Pete Mercer – Well, when you’re stood at the back waiting to go up it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced, it’s horrible but once you get up there and the intro is going then you know it’s happening.
Planet Loud – What is your frame of mind when you get in the cage?
Pete Mercer – I try to relax going into a fight beforehand and then get myself in the frame of mind to fight on the day.
Planet Loud – How do you relax prior to a fight?
Pete Mercer – Pretty much just training and reading. I hang out with my family as well, that’s pretty much it. I like Sam Browne books and all the fight magazines just to keep an eye on my opponents.
Planet Loud – Cage Fighting gets a bad reputation because of the underground circuit, do you think that makes it difficult for the genuine guys like FX3 to be taken seriously?
Pete Mercer – I think there are more serious organisations out there like FX3 who are doing it right but you always get the ones who are all about the blood and guts and that is the wrong way to do it if you ask me. As the shows get more coverage then I think peoples ideas will change and it will become easier for people like FX3 – it’s just peoples fear of the unknown.Planet Loud – You’ve mentioned your family, what do they think of what you do?
Pete Mercer – They really behind me. They’re my biggest fans actually. They’re really supportive.
Planet Loud – What are your fight plans for the future?
Pete Mercer – I’m not sure yet. It all depends on my hand because, if I can’t fight, then I’ll be pretty annoyed as I’ve had a number of injuries now. I damaged one ankle, then the other, then I went to Thailand and Benki Fever and nearly died. When I get my hand fixed, I’ll be fighting as much as possible.
Planet Loud – Okay, just to finish off, when is your next fight?
Pete Mercer – I’m hopefully fighting on November 29th at FX3 but it all depends on my hand but I’m getting offered fights all the time.
Planet Loud – Thanks for your time Pete, good luck with everything.
Pete Mercer – No worries, thanks for the support and thanks to everyone for supporting me.
Interview by Graham Finney
