Ev Ting grew up the hard way, but he’s since battled his way to the top, and has his sights set on world championship glory in ONE Championship.

The Malaysian faces Ariel “Tarzan” Sexton at ONE: QUEST FOR GOLD on Friday, 23 February, knowing that victory over a fellow lightweight contender should see him nicely positioned for a shot at the title later this year.

As he makes his final preparations for the bout in Yangon, Myanmar, Ting is drawing on the experiences of his youth to help drive him on to victory.

“It was not the easiest (upbringing),” Ting said during an interview with ONE Championship.

“For example, when it was meal time, there might be one or two plates of food to feed seven of us. That was how we lived. We lived by having just enough to eat.

“We all went into work at local supermarkets as soon as we turned 15. We were taught to contribute to the [family] expenses.

“I had close to 20 part-time jobs, but I feel like my elder siblings and parents went beyond that to make everything possible to this day.”

The work ethic instilled into him as a youngster has proved a useful attribute as he’s made his way up the lightweight ranks. 

People only see the finished product inside the cage, but the hard work is done during the training camp, where the athletes spend countless hours drilling technique, working out to improve their fitness, and spend hours discussing the gameplan ahead of the event itself.

All of that requires staying power, and Ting is grateful that he learned from his parents in his early years.

“I would not prefer any other way,” he said.

“If I was to have children in the future, I would not give them everything on a plate either. There are a lot of lessons to be learned, and I am very grateful for my parents. If I could be 10 percent of what they are, I would be more than happy.”

Ting’s successes in the cage have made his parents proud. They took the risk of moving the family from Malaysia to New Zealand while he was young, but the move has proved to be a success, with their son going on to become one of ONE Championship’s leading athletes representing Malaysia.

“They are very proud,” he said.

“At first, they were worried, but they became my biggest supporters. Now, they are probably ONE Championship’s biggest supporters as well. They know everything that goes on, and they probably know more athletes in ONE than I do!”

With his family fully supportive of his endeavours, and his career going from strength to strength, things are on the up for “E.T.” as he prepares to face Sexton in Myanmar, where victory could put him one win away from the culmination of a dream, the ONE Lightweight World Title.