KSW heavyweight champion Phil De Fries is bursting with confidence ahead of his return to action on Dec. 19, but the affable Englishman wasn’t always so sure of himself earlier in his career. De Fries (18-6), who takes on Michal Kita in the main event of KSW 57 in Lodz, Poland, is in the best form of his top-level career and looking to register his fourth straight title defense since he captured the belt on his promotional debut back in April 2018. But, prior to his recent successes inside the cage, he faced personal issues that threatened to derail his career. “I had a severe mental health problem through my entire career,” he explained. “I had irrational fears, that the slightest things could lead to terrible consequences, which isn’t how life is, you know?
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