In an age in which almost anybody can live Andy Warhol's prophecy about 15 minutes of fame via reality TV or an evening of karaoke, one wonders why Alex Lee Leung-wan chooses to do so via a world of pain. The self-defence and Muay Thai instructor from Tsuen Wan will step into the ring at the Asia World Expo on Thursday night to make his mixed martial arts (MMA) debut against Mark Eddiva of the Philippines at Legends IV.
Lee is the first candidate to come out of a development programme run by the Hong Kong-based Legends promotion to build a stable of local MMA fighters. Legends has recently sewn up television and sponsorship deals, including pay-per-view rights which will see this week's action screened across the United States alongside the big names of the sport, including the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
The featherweight prospect, however, dismisses the notion of fame as his motivation. Instead the composed 28-year-old admits that memories of going from one dead-end job to another still make him shudder. After dropping out of college, he spent his days packing shelves in a warehouse or sifting paperwork until the end of his shift and more training.
When private-investigator work came up it was only more of the same, but this time tracking wayward spouses or untrustworthy employees. 'It wasn't like the movies - just very boring, standing around for eight hours ... but I never stopped competing and learning skills to get better,' says Lee. 'People wanted me to get a steady job, but I knew deep down I always wanted to compete, to prove myself.'
Lee still lives with his family, though his parents have reservations about his chosen career, which is all the more ironic as it was Lee's policeman father who first taught his son martial arts (karate and taekwondo). 'He thinks MMA is dangerous and never wanted me to be a fighter, just to train and get better ... but my mother wanted me to go to the gym to get fit and good looking,' Lee quips.
His father wanted the St Francis Xavier College pupil to join the disciplined services, but accepts that Lee has found his own path. Even though the cauliflower ear, which has sprouted after months of intensive Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) and grappling training, now barely gets a mention over dinner, his family and girlfriend will not be at ringside cheering him. 'My parents don't come to events. I don't really want them there as they will be worried for me - and I will be worried about them worrying about me,' says Lee.
Since rising to No 1 in the Hong Kong Muay Thai rankings at 63.5kg in 2008-09, earning a Superfight Champion title in 2007 and bronze in the WPKA kickboxing world championships last year, Lee's focus has turned to sharpening his BJJ skills in readiness for the clash against Eddiva, a bronze medallist in wushu at the Asian Games in Guangzhou last November. Like Lee, the Filipino has also won championships in sanda, which combines grappling and striking.
