For Czech martial artist Jaroslav Jartim (8-6-1), ONE CHAMPIONSHIP: SHANGHAI represents a second chance to make a good first impression.
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The European lightweight was thrown into the deep end for his promotional debut, stepping in on short notice to take on former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY in April.
That bout ended with Jartim finding himself on the wrong end of a highlight-reel knockout. Despite the emphatic nature of the defeat, he took positives away from the loss. “I knew that I was a lot better than Banario, physically. I just made a mistake,” says Jartim.
The Czech’s path to martial arts came from a tough school upbringing, where his stubbornness in the schoolyard often put him at odds with bullies. “I had a lot of fights at school,” he recalls. “But I did not let them pick on me.”
At the age of 13, he started training in boxing after being inspired by the classic film, Rocky. Four years later, he set his sights on professional competition, eventually making his debut in 2011. He lost his first two bouts, but did not give up. In 2014, he picked up his first professional win.
“I felt wonderful,” he states. “I felt like, ‘now I am closer to the title.’” That win kicked off a hat-trick of successive victories in the space of a year, and following a patchy run of form, he found his groove again a year ago when he racked up another three-bout win streak, leading to his offer of a contract with ONE Championship.
“It was my dream to get to ONE Championship,” says the Czech lightweight. Now a 15-bout veteran with a winning record, he is ready to put his promotional defeat from this past April behind him. Victory over Singapore’s highly-touted Amir Khan on Saturday Night, 2 September, would be the perfect way to do so.
Khan has risen to prominence with a string of impressive performances and is currently riding a four-bout win streak, with all four victories coming inside the distance.
The bout is arguably the most important test of Jartim’s career to date, but it is one he is fully prepared for. “I will be careful,” he adds. “I am ready for everything.”
