Tyrone Spong talks Melvin Manhoef, says he is looking forward to a career in MMA

"My preparations went very well. I trained real good and I'm in great shape. I feel motivated for this fight, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It doesn't bother me at all (that Melvin Manhoef didn't show up for the press conference). Actually, I don't even think about it. Right now, I don't care about it. Tomorrow, he has to show up. That's more important to me. If he doesn't come today, I don't care. It's professional - I'm a fighter, and this is part of the profession. You have to be here, and that's what I came to do. But, other than that, I have no problem. ... I don't want to say anything about the fight, just come and watch tomorrow. But, I'm in great shape, so I think it's going to be a good fight - a very exciting fight. I'm looking forward to it, and I can't wait. I'm very motivated.

I'm helping them (teammates at Imperial Athletics) with the stand-up, with the striking, and they're helping me with the ground. So, in the future, I might fight MMA. I think about it, and the training is going very well. I train with the best guys in the world: Jorge Santiago, Rashad Evans, Anthony Johnson, JZ Cavalcante. So, we've got a great team there, and that's also something new for me. It motivates me and keeps me training hard. So, I'm looking forward to fighting MMA in the future."

Before Rashad Evans steps into the octagon opposite Phil Davis this weekend, thousands of miles away, another member of Imperial Athletics, Tyrone Spong, will take on fellow heavy-hitter Melvin Manhoef in a kickboxing bout at the WTC Expo in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

Speaking to LowKick.com Editor, Anton Gurevich, Spong shared his thoughts on Manhoef's absence from the event's pre-fight press conference, and talked about his training and preparation at the Florida-based "Blackzilians" gym. Though Spong says it is part of his profession to be present for the pre-fight festivities, he insists that Manhoef's failure to attend doesn't concern him. Furthermore, the former It's Showtime champ discusses his fighting future, revealing a legitimate interest in pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.

Note: Melvin Manhoef arrived late for the weigh-ins, but was present at the press conference.

It's Showtime: Badr Hari vs Gokhan Saki will be aired LIVE on HDNet this Saturday at 3PM EST. Fans outside of the Netherlands, Belgium, and USA, can purchase the LIVE Stream at ShowtimeFights.com.