Martial arts

On a promotional tour before his last major event as an amateur

On his way to the professional ranks: Elias Erber (right).(Bild: zVg)

His nickname is "No Time", which means "No time!" However, this refers less to his brash approach on the mat and in the cage than to his attitude to martial arts. "I never had time to go out or have a girlfriend," grins Elias Erber from Bischofshofen. 

The 22-year-old started out as a judoka at home with Sanjindo before he came to mixed martial arts by chance. And his record is impressive. He won 25 of 30 fights as an amateur and was crowned amateur world champion in 2023. Last year, he "only" took bronze, but the world federation honored him as the best athlete of the year.

What's next for the Graz native? He wants to go to the European Amateur Championships in Serbia one last time at the end of February. In order to be able to afford this, the trained roofer is always on the lookout for sponsors and has also started a fundraising campaign on "gofundme". The goal: 1,250 euros. "The entry fee alone is 450 euros," he reveals.

The aim is to make the leap into the professional ranks in the fall. The featherweight hopes to make the leap to a top league within three or four years. The last person to achieve this from Salzburg was kickboxer Stella Hemetsberger - she made her debut with One FC in October.