That style, coupled with the way his first two losses went down, might be the reason why he got a call when Julio Arce was forced to withdraw from his bout with Valiev. Day was already in the gym and fresh from a trip to Fight Island, where he cornered Tyson Nam, so getting another chance to right his ship was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“I was hoping for one more shot,” Day said. “You get finished twice in a row, you’re probably in danger of losing your job. Me, I got finished twice in a row and I lost that one before, so I was staying ready for any opportunity that came next.”
That opportunity knocked, and he’s not about to let it slip by. Day knows what’s at stake, but with his back up against the wall, he’s going to come out firing.
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“This fight is kind of like a second chance that they’re giving me,” he said. “So I’m seeing it as a big opportunity. I’m sure there’s not a lot of guys that are lining up to fight this particular guy on such short notice. He’s got a great record, he’s a great fighter, so I’m happy for the opportunity to go in there and get one more chance in there and I’m looking to make the most of it. There’s no pressure for me going into this. It’s like a second chance. If there’s any pressure on someone, it’s gonna be on him. And I’m just gonna go in there and fight that way, like there’s nothing to lose.”