Jiri Prochazka addressed his loss to Carlos Ulberg, rejecting suggestions that he showed mercy to his injured opponent. Prochazka stated he lost concentration and was caught, rather than deliberately holding back. He referenced Miyamoto Musashi's philosophy from "The Book of Five Rings" about fighting to win without hesitation. The Czech fighter acknowledged he could have fought smarter but emphasized his fighting philosophy has always been aggressive rather than tactical. He apologized to fans for his performance and vowed to return stronger.
Jiri Prochazka has broken his silence on his light heavyweight loss to Carlos Ulberg, firmly pushing back against the notion that he went easy on his opponent during the fight.
The Czech contender addressed speculation that he held back out of sympathy for Ulberg, who appeared to be dealing with an injury during the contest. Prochazka rejected that framing outright, saying he simply lost concentration and was caught — not that he deliberately eased off. To explain his mindset, he invoked Miyamoto Musashi's "The Book of Five Rings," referencing the philosopher-swordsman's principle of fighting to win without hesitation. Prochazka acknowledged he could have fought with more intelligence but stressed that his philosophy has always been built on aggression, not tactical caution. He apologized to fans for the performance and pledged to come back stronger.
Prochazka, 33, carries a 32-6-1 record and is currently ranked second in the light heavyweight division. Standing six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, he averages 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy — a volume that reflects the relentless, offense-first approach he described when addressing the loss.
Ulberg, the man who handed Prochazka that defeat, sits at third in the division with a 15-1-0 record. The New Zealand-born City Kickboxing product is 35 years old and stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach. He actually edges Prochazka in striking output, averaging 6.54 significant strikes per minute at the same 55 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- Prochazka remains ranked second at light heavyweight despite the loss, keeping him in the divisional picture
- Ulberg's win moved him to third, creating a tightly stacked top of the division
- The style matchup between two high-output orthodox strikers produced a result that has clearly left unresolved questions in Prochazka's mind
- Prochazka's public comments signal he intends to remain active and competitive at the top of the division
