PFL Europe 3: Simeon Powell 'had to win' last fight so he could quit day job

Before Powell started his apprenticeship as an engineer he worked as a steward. Powell was working the day Anthony Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 at Wembley Stadium, winning the WBA and IBO heavyweight titles.

Before Powell started his apprenticeship as an engineer he worked as a steward.

Powell was working the day Anthony Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 at Wembley Stadium, winning the WBA and IBO heavyweight titles.

That was the moment he decided to pursue a career in martial arts.

"Being there, I saw the crowd, the walkouts and I was just like, 'Yeah, this is what I want to do'," said Powell.

"Before the Joshua fight I was happy [training] as a hobby, but then the likes of [Conor] McGregor, and being at that Joshua fight, that changed my mindset to thinking I could make a career out of it.

"I could change my life and I could change my family's life."

Powell looks back to the moment he told his teachers at college he wanted to be an MMA fighter.

"I was in sixth form and I was under-performing and I had a meeting with my subject teachers. And they were all asking me, 'So, what do you want to do?'," said Powell.

"And I said I want to be an MMA fighter. And my mum kicked me under the table and sort of looked at me as if to say, 'Don't say that'."

Powell says his mum, who is a former 800m runner, was initially sceptical of his aspirations to fight, but he convinced her by working hard in the gym.

Following Powell's win over Amine in March, he celebrated by dancing with his mum inside the cage.

"When you show someone you're putting your mind to it and are dedicated to something, you get their support," said Powell.

"My mum has been my biggest supporter. She raised me and she was an athlete herself, so she's always on to me about my mindset."

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