Not many MMA stars can claim to match the Scouser’s fighting background as Connor Hughes has traveled the world since he was three years old in a kickboxing career with his mum and uncle.
Hughes faces the biggest fight of his sporting career on Saturday when he takes on undefeated Jakub Kaszuba in the PFL European lightweight final in Lyon.
The 27-year-old Hughes, who has won two fights in the competition so far this year, including one via stoppage, has the chance to become champion and claim £78,000 ($100,000).
“It was never money that I wanted, it was world titles and a legacy,” he told BBC Sport.
“If I stay focused, the money will come, it’s all about the legacy.”
Hughes’ mother, Lorraine, and uncle, David, are multiple world taekwondo champions.
Connor started taking up kickboxing at the age of three and transitioned to mixed martial arts (MMA) at the age of 18 at the MMA Academy in Liverpool.
“I’ve been training since I was three years old, traveling around the world watching my mum and uncle David win championships, that’s my life,” he said.
“I had no other choice. I came home from school and went straight to the gym.”
Hughes’ story is not unlike that of 2023 PFL European Champion and 2024 PFL Champion Dakota Ditcheva, whose mother is a world champion in kickboxing.
Manchester’s Dicheva went from winning the PFL Europe Series to winning the flyweight world title a year later.
Her mother Lisa gave her her first world title last month.
