“I have become a boxer because I like challenges”. The assertion of Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (32), best known to the general public for playing Sir Gregor Clegane -The Mountain- in Game of Thrones, also hides a motivation directly related to their health. His pace of life, diet and workouts were unsustainable.
After participating for a decade in competitions that required a huge physical challenge (World’s Strongest Man) and reaching the top, the icelander decided to turn his career 180 degrees. With the excuse of challenging one of his historic rivals in the tests of strength, the British Eddie Hall -also retired-, Björnsson made the leap to boxing and for this he has spent the last months waning.
It is no longer the 205 kilogram mass that it once was. Now he has become another type of athlete: a 60 kilos lighter mountain of pure muscle to face a challenge that he has unfortunately had to postpone. And it is that Eddie Hall suffered an injury to the biceps of his left arm that forced him to undergo surgery, ruining, for now, the fight that was to be held this month.
However, Björnsson remains focused on his boxing career and his journey continues. “It has a lot to do with the way of being of the Icelanders. We belong to a small country, but we want to be remembered as strong people who face difficult conditions on a day-to-day basis. It is our mentality. It is the desire not to abandon and overcome ourselves”, He assures in a video on his YouTube channel.
“I used to weigh 205 kilos. I found that the heavier I was, the stronger I felt. That is why I spent the day eating every two hours and training. It was exhausting, but I was obsessed because I believed it would help me be the best as it happened. I sacrificed my health, which is crazy if you think about it”, Adds the Icelander, who has totally changed the chip.
“Now I have lost about 60 kilos and I feel ten times better. Stronger, with more energy and better concentration. Makes life better. Every day I try to improve myself and be better in every way because the moment I think I am the best at something, it will be when it starts to get worse ”, he concludes.
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