No 1 contender Nico Carrillo from Scotland will challenge the formidable Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE Championship Muay Thai bantamweight world title on January 24 at the Impact Arena in Thailand; Superlek won the title when he took out UK star Jonathan Haggerty in their first round
Friday 18 October 2024 13:35, UK
Scotland's Nico Carrillo will challenge Superlek Kiatmoo9 for the ONE Championship Muay Thai bantamweight world title.
Carrillo will take on Superlek, one of the best strikers pound-for-pound on the planet, on January 24 at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand on the ONE 170 event.
This title fight pits two of the most destructive finishers in ONE Championship against one another.
Carrillo has won all of his bouts with the promotion and the hard-hitting Scotsman has stopped them all inside the distance.
Muay Thai legend Superlek will be making his first defence of the title he won with a stunning elbow strike in the first round of his bout with UK star Jonathan Haggerty in September.
It was a brutal ending and the highlight of a stellar year for Superlek, who was moving up in weight.
Known as 'The Kicking Machine' Superlek showcased just how devastating his leg attack could be in a brilliant kickboxing bout with Japanese star Takeru earlier in 2024.
Carrillo, though, is the No 1 contender in the division and has been targeting the holder of the bantamweight Muay Thai title.
Glasgow's 'King of the North' has set his sights on winning that championship.
"Everything I've said, I've done it. I put my neck out on the line because I come out with these bold statements on what I'm going to do but I've not been wrong yet," Carrollo previously told Sky Sports.
"I have this burning belief in myself. I just prove myself right every time."
Remaining undefeated in ONE Championship with all four victories coming via knockout underscores that confidence. "I know what the fans want to see in ONE and it's violence, so I switched my style for that," he added.
"It was an amazing idea from the boss [ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong] to change the gloves to 4oz. It's so much more entertaining and so much more violent.
"When I made the switch over to ONE Championship it was almost like a new sport to me. Before you could absorb a kick or a punch on the glove but fighting for ONE you can't do that because everything gets through, it's such a small space.
"Even a jab can put your lights out, any lapse in concentration is fatal."
Carrillo is a man on a mission.
"My goals go further than just fighting. My goals are to inspire the younger generation. To inspire people. I came from a rough area, from humble beginnings. You don't have to grow up with everything to get everything," he said.
"You can choose your path."
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