Ibrahim Mane, the France-born Gambian professional mixed martial art fighter, will return to the ring for a title belt in September. 

Mane had fought 16 fights, won 12 and lost four, in his mixed martial arts career so far.

He fights in the Welterweight 77 kg category in France.  

“My record is good because I have more wins,” the only professional Gambian MMA fighter said, adding that some of his losses happened at trying times for him. But he said losing his sister strengthened him. 

“I want to fight the best fighters in the world. I don’t want to fight weak fighters, but I want to fight the good fighters in the world,” he told Gambiana.

Mane said the mixed martial arts sport is also a weapon of discipline for its practitioners, promising to set up an MMA academy in The Gambia for kids to learn and train.

“This sport is good because it disciplines you and you [get to travel to] see different cultures around the world,” he said.

“I want to be number one fighter in the whole world because I do different sporting disciplines, trainings everyday, and my objective is to take the best MMA belt in September.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba