Josh LaBerge and Dan Bonnell will be fighting at WCF 8 tonight.
Josh LaBerge admits that he isn’t the most technical fighter in the world, but states he is probably one of the toughest.
He is confident that he will give Dan Bonnell a tough fight tonight as part of the WCF card in Shriner’s Auditorium.
“I’m just a rugged dude, and (Bonnell) hasn’t fought anybody as tough as me,” LaBerge said. “I haven’t even broken the seal of my talent.
“But it’s all starting to come together.”
One way LaBerge is getting everything to come together, is by training with probably the most elite camp in the world — Greg Jackson’s gym. He spent time in Albuquerque, NM, working with the likes of Leonard Garcia, Donald Cerrone and Ox Wheeler.
The training allowed LaBerge to add a more technical aspect to his game.
“The level down there was amazing,” LaBerge said. “Everyone was really good. Even their local fighters are really good. … Greg Jackson comes up with effective game plans. I didn’t get to work one-on-one with him, but all he did would do is go over the game plan and work on how to counter and work on what the other fighter was going to do.”
The training was so beneficial, that LaBerge didn’t want to return home.
He is planning on moving down to Albuquerque to train with Jackson’s camp full time. He expects the move to occur after the fight with Bonnell.
“I’m young and nothing is holding me back,” LaBerge said. “So why not do it? I can always come back home. … I was living the life of fighting. I was concentrating. I would practice in the morning and night. I would lift weights at night. I didn’t go out and party.”
He said moving down to the west will open up more opportunities to fight in other organizations on the west coast as well as on the east coast.
“MMA out there is huge,” LaBerge said. “Everyone seems to be a fighter down there. … A lot of people fight, and there are way more connections. They have big shows, and whenever a big time promotion need a fighter, they call up some of the smaller shows for fighters.”
Though his official record isn’t impressive (2-4), he earned his biggest victory on a Bellator card on April 10.
It was also the last time he fought, and he admits that it got him used to fighting on the big stage. He said he is ready for a big time promotion to call.
“It was overwhelming [fighting in front of a big crowd,]” LaBerge said. “Right before I walked out, I looked around and there were so many people. … Now I have a better feel for it, and I loved it.”
LaBerge has also dedicated the fight to his father who is in the hospital, and Josh LaBerge is sensing that his father could pass soon.
“He lived a good healthy life and spent his whole life working. He’s a real good guy,” Josh said. “So the fight is dedicated to my dad.”
