Phil de Fries: British globetrotter finds home as KSW heavyweight champion
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Phil De Fries is on a 10-fight winning streak in KSW
It has been five years and nine months since heavyweight Phil de Fries last tasted defeat.
The 36-year-old, from Sunderland, spent much of his mixed martial arts career - 21 fights over eight years - looking for a home before he signed for Polish promotion KSW in 2018.
KSW is one of Europe's biggest promotions alongside the likes of UK-based Cage Warriors.
De Fries became the organisation's heavyweight champion in his second fight. Five years later, he has made the most successful title defences (seven) in the promotion's entire history as well as being on a 10-fight winning streak.
But the road to glory has not been straightforward for De Fries, who started his career in 2009. He admits he has finally found a home with KSW after struggling with anxiety, depression and self-doubt.
He is hesitant to discuss his life growing up, but says: "I had a really horrible home life. I used to get picked on in school and I developed a lot of mental health issues."
On social media, De Fries wrote that he was "chronically bullied" before becoming an "obese alcoholic".
But he says hasn't experienced what at one time were recurring "feelings of worthlessness" in more than a year.
De Fries' new-found balance has sparked a career renaissance for a once globetrotting fighter.
'Attitudes around mental health have changed for the better'
De Fries quickly reached 7-0 as a young pro fighting across various UK promotions before being picked up by the UFC in 2011.
"When I started, I didn't know any boxing or wrestling. You would get matched and the opponent wouldn't even be a martial artist, just some hard man," he says.
There was a lot of hype behind the then-undefeated Englishman but he suffered three losses in five UFC fights, including to future champion Stipe Miocic and heavyweight legend Matt Mitrione.
De Fries says he struggled with his mental health throughout his UFC run, including against American rival Todd Duffee, who he defends his KSW title against on 25 February in the Czech Republic.
"I ended up going to the UFC and every fight I was terrified when people thought I was going to lose or when I was the underdog in the bookies' eyes. With the first Duffee fight, I bottled it," he said.
"Every fight I lost in the UFC, I bottled it. People on the forums were saying I was going to get beat. Then I got kicked out of the UFC."
De Fries suffered three first-round knockout defeats in his UFC career including one to Todd Duffee (right)
De Fries would go on to fight in Russia and Japan as well as at home in a one-off appearance with Bellator after being released by the UFC.
But a rise in mental health awareness and advocacy within MMA and combat sports more broadly - with the likes of Tyson Fury and Paddy Pimblett bringing the issue to the fore - seem to have brought about a change in fighters' mindsets.
"I didn't even know what anxiety was when I had it. It wasn't talked about properly," De Fries said.
"The attitudes around mental health have changed for the better.
"Now that I've got my anxiety beat, I'm a much better fighter. Luckily, I'm not too old to get a good career together."
'I want cross-promotional fights'
De Fries' impressive win streak has allowed him to settle into a role as the face of KSW - and he has big plans.
De Fries describes KSW as the best company he has ever worked for, but is not ruling out cross-promotional fights in the future with the likes of Bellator or Japanese promotion Rizin.
Rizin co-promoted an event with Bellator in December, which saw the best of each company face off at the Saitama Super Arena.
De Fries is also open to less traditional formats, highlighting the increasingly common YouTube celebrity boxing events.
Former World's Strongest Men Eddie Hall and Hafthor Bjornsson, who both made their pro boxing debuts 11 months ago, are options, as well as World's Strongest Man turned MMA fighter Mariusz Pudzianowski.
But the biggest name that comes to mind for De Fries is former UFC title contender Alistair Overeem.
"I love that fight," he said. "I'll get this one out of the way and then have a big summer fight with Overeem. But he costs quite a lot that fella."
First, De Fries has set his sights on revenge at KSW 79 against Duffee, on the promotion's first international show since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Duffee was responsible for a brutal first-round knockout loss during De Fries' UFC run, giving him the opportunity to avenge a loss against a ghost of his past.
"He's explosive, dynamic and a very dangerous guy. But he's kind of a one-round fighter," De Fries said.
"I think if things don't go his way in the first round, he'll crumble, especially with the long layoff.
"Last time I was the one who was scared, but he'll be the one scared this time."
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