Jeremy Kennedy expects to have a physical advantage against Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Freire.
Kennedy (19-3) takes on Freire (34-7) in the co-headliner of Bellator Champion Series: Belfast on Friday at the SSE Arena in Northern Ireland.
For the first time in his career, Freire has lost two consecutive fights. But neither loss was at featherweight, so Kennedy admits it's difficult to see which version of Freire he'll take.
“I train like I'm fighting the best 'pit bull,'” Kennedy told MMA Junkie Radio. “I have to. That's how I approach every fight. It's tough because there's a lot of little speculation regarding these losses. He hasn't lost even at 145. So in my eyes, he's still the undisputed, multiple-time champion. (At) 145, who beat him at 145?”
One of Freire's losses came in June of this year in a bantamweight title fight against Sergio Pettis, which marked his debut in the division. Less than a month later, he was knocked out by Chihiro Suzuki in a 154-pound catchweight bout, but he responded on short notice.
Kennedy isn't paying too much attention to Freire's slide, but he can't help but think that his recent weight cut to 135 pounds could be a factor.
“The thing that stuck with me the most was the cut to ’35,” Kennedy said. “It's not age or wear and tear, just frame and size. The fact that he was even able to make that weight, I know I'm a bigger guy than him. Just at featherweight, I'm I know I'm much better physically than him because I never dreamed of hitting 140.
“So the fact that he could have done that, and actually did, and it wasn't that long ago, like less than a year ago, that he was properly able to even physically compare to me. I don't think he'll be able to put on any muscle. That's what I'm most disappointed about is he's probably too small. But then again, he's a pretty undersized feather. He's been fighting all his life as a senior. He's a little undersized and he's going to show it by being too physical and dominant everywhere.”
For more information on this card, visit MMA Junkie's Bellator Champions Series: Belfast event hub.
The story originally appeared on MMA Junkie
