‘I was hanging around with Didier Drogba’… How the son of a Chelsea legend became a world class fighter with just one hand

EXCLUSIVE: Jake Peacock has had a crazy journey, from kicking the ball around with Paolo Di Canio and meeting Didier Drogba, to becoming one of the best Muay Thai fighters on the planet, despite his limb difference.

This evening, the warrior returns to action against Shinji Suzuki at ONE Championship 171 inside the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar.

Jake Peacock used to have kickabouts with Paolo Di Canio

Life has been interesting for Jake Peacock for many reasons, firstly because both his grandfather and father, Keith Peacock and Gavin Peacock, played professional football for Charlton and Chelsea, respectively.

Because of this, from a young age, the future Muay Thai star was surrounded by some of the best players on the planet.

In an exclusive interview with Sporf, he reminisced: “My Grandad would bring me down to the Charlton ground, and I’d be kicking the ball with Paolo Di Canio when he signed with Charlton. 

“My dad took me up to the Chelsea training ground, and John Terry is getting treatment, and I’m just hanging around with Terry and Didier Drogba — name them, I’ve probably met them. It’s been pretty mental.

“Being around the highest level professionals with my grandad and my dad, has helped me for sure in my sport.”

Jake Peacock has become a ONE superstar despite his limb difference

While growing up around Chelsea icons was any young kid’s dream, Peacock also had to deal with his fair share of adversity. Due to an issue with the amniotic band wrapping around his arm in the early stages of development, the Englishman ended up missing part of his right arm, and it wasn’t until he moved to Canada and his father became a Christian minister, that he embarked on a journey with faith and realized he didn’t need to let his limb difference hold him back.

He explained: “During my childhood, and my teen years, I was very insecure about my arm and took my identity from how I looked, and what I was doing and whether I was competing or winning, and I wasn’t taking it from God. Then, when I was 18 or 19, I took that faith on as my own, and immediately, my life went in a completely different direction. I was no longer insecure because my identity is wrapped up with God, and God is unchanging.

“Now, whether I win or lose, I’m not broken, and it’s not the end of the world. Fighting doesn’t define me; it’s not my number one. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going out there to put everyone away and be the very best. But if I didn’t win and I lost, it’s not going to break me. I think that’s what makes me special and dangerous, because I’m not afraid. I go out there courageously, I fight my heart out, and I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Jake Peacock ended up with a tooth going through his glove in a gruelling fight

With a bulletproof mentality, it comes as no surprise that Peacock excelled in Muay Thai, quickly rising up the ranks, and competing in front of big crowds, once exhibiting his talent in Las Vegas in front of Roy Jones Jr and Nate Diaz.

Showcasing dazzling skills, Peacock quickly worked his way up the ranks, capturing the attention of Chatri Sityodtong, who gave him an opportunity in the Road to ONE: Canada tournament.

Proving he had the minerals to perform on the big stage, the striker rose to the occasion, even knocking out Nick Krohn’s teeth during the semi-final, in a truly crazy turn of events.

The 31-year-old reminisced: “This guy was so tough. I hit him early in the first round, I smashed him with a left, and his gumshield fell out. The referee saw and stopped us and gave it back to Nick.

“I saw him look at it weird, and it goes in his mouth, and I thought something was up. At the end of the round, he goes back to his corner and sits on his stool, and he goes, ‘He’s broken my teeth’. And his coach, Eddie Farrell, pulls out the mouthguard, knocks the teeth into his other hand, says, ‘We can get new teeth; we can’t get this fight back’, and shoves the mouthguard back in.

“That guy came out, and he gave me three rounds, and he was in my face. I was cracking him from the first bell to the last. And he sliced open my glove with his tooth. It was pretty wild.”

The performance earned the natural-born fighter his place in ONE Championship, where he looks set to put on another big performance later today.

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Featured Image Credit: ONE Championship