Once the levitating 31-year old strips to the waist and gets down to the business of Muay Thai boxing, it is another story.

“You just don't know what is going to happen from him, even when we’re doing pads,” fighting trainer and manager Darren Finn said, gingerly patting his inner thigh.

“That was all black up until a couple days ago.” 

Finn pulled a rueful face, and both men shared laugh.

The Polish-born Lagodzki fiercely defends his World Kick-Boxing Federation Super Welterweight title belt, won after a 2015 fifth round defeat of Ugandan superstar Umar Semata in Kampala.

Lagodzki’s reputation earned him a slot as the only Thai boxer under, or over, 80kilos in the July 16, $50,000 Toughman Competition at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast.

He was down for a event-highlight rematch with 75kilo champion Toby Smith, but the Perth fighter pulled out last week for another obligation.

Last moment changes are standard in the world of ring-fights.

Lagodzki was not bothered, and soon after, an invitation from the event promoters to join the main line-up was extended.

“I’ve proved myself so many times, they just know that it’s going to be fun when I’m in the comp,” Lagodzki said with a mischievous twinkle.

Lagodzki has prepared for the event with Sapphire Mixed Martial Arts owner Finn.

His rapid-fire effort behind each smack and kick into the FInn’s pads comes with a kind of feral cry, blow after blow; something subconscious unleashed. 

The fighter found his way to martial-arts and boxing as a teen, scarred by family troubles, and welling with undirected energy.

He remembered starting at age 11 in a rough Polish town The young boy was a Bruce Lee fan, and determined to become fit.

“We became little ninjas, we started doing little athletics, performances, you know, parkour, it’s like back-flip jumps off the roof; it’s beautiful,” he said.

His confrontational street-life and influence of a champion boxer uncle, the young Lagodzki was attracted to the boxing ring, but his small stature was not an asset until he he found his feet.

“I started using my kicks a lot, and then I realised that Thai boxing focuses on the kicks the most, and because I fly a lot, I do a lot of funky stuff, like cool-looking things, again, those things are exactly what Thai boxing is,” he said.

He travelled to England, chasing a career in a sport that uses every limb with few rules, and promotes creativity.

Largely self-taught, Lagodzki forged a name for himself with a long string of success until he found himself in Townsville, where the Thai boxer became known for fighting through broken bones and body with insatiable energy.

He worked and trained with Bangkok’s acclaimed Buakaw Banchamek camp for several months, but now calls Inverell home, where he mentors and trains youth and adults.

Lagodzki said July 16 fight among the country’s top competitors does not frighten him; rather, he seemed infused with anticipation.

“You see, when I was younger, when I started fighting professional, my biggest issue was, my father always said, I will never get nowhere, or, I will never be nobody, or there’s someone better than me,” he said frankly.

“And so, when I was going to the fight, that was the only issues I had. 

“I wasn't scared of getting hurt, or I wasn't scared of the people; I was just scared of the fact that (there was) always that talking in my head, am I going to be good or not?”

When he walked from championship rings with win after win, defeating a European champion three times in succession, the penny dropped for Lagodzki.

“I realised I’m not afraid of nobody,” he said.

“I pretty much started fighting all the champions, and they couldn't really hurt me.”