Up-close with “Franaconda”
With a fight coming up against Limpopo’s Pierre Botha at EFC Africa 27, at Carnival City on Thursday, February 27, Francois “Franaconda” Groenewald, who is trained and managed by Shihan Raymond Phillips’s and James Read’s XKT Pro League, based in Brakpan and Springs. Herald sports journalist Logan Green sat down with the bantamweight fighter and had a word:
LG: Firstly Francois, how does it feel to be taking part at EFC Africa 27?
FG: “I am very excited to be fighting at EFC Africa 27; this is my seventh appearance at an EFC event (ninth fight in total). It has gone very well so far and I am currently on a two-fight winning streak, so, hopefully, this will be my third one and should hopefully put me in line for a title spot.
LG: What do you know about your opponent Pierre Botha?
FG: I know that he’s one of the top wrestlers in South Africa. He has just been to the Commonwealth Games where, I think, he won a silver medal, so he’s pretty legitimate. He is coming off a loss at his last EFC so he is going to be very hungry. The most dangerous opponent is always the one who is coming back from a defeat.
LG: What goes through your head when you step into the hexagon?
FG: Before the fight you get your nerves, but as soon as you step into that cage it just suddenly goes away and you’re just focusing on your task at hand. I like to stare at my opponent and see his posture, try to look for weakness. If he stares back at you and doesn’t look away then you know he is confident. There’s a lot of pressure from the crowd, a lot of screaming, but as soon as the bell goes everything just comes together.
LG: What is going to be your attitude going into this fight?
FG: I am going to be very aggressive. I know that I can out-strike him and, if he takes me to the ground, which is his strong point, my Brazilian Jujitsu will kick in and I will probably submit him.
LG: What makes a good fighter in your opinion?
FG: You get these fighters who come only for the fame and the money, but they don’t really last. There are a lot of fighters who will do this for free. It’s more than just fighting, it’s something that we live to do. I love to compete; we are just trying to show off our talent and put on a good show. Even if you lose, a good fighter will learn from that and will come back stronger.
