Britain's Jacob Smith is seeking an upset to claim the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship; Watch Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs Jacob Smith live on Sky Sports Mix in the early hours of Saturday morning, with the full ONE Championship card starting at 1am
Friday 8 November 2024 12:32, UK
They call him 'The Iron Man'. Rodtang Jitmuangnon could be the toughest man in fight sports.
The Muay Thai superstar is an elite striker, one of the best in the world. He trusts his solid chin to such a degree that he's known for dropping his guard to let his opponents hit him as he goads and taunts them.
But British underdog Jacob Smith is out to prove that "the man that can't be beat" can, in fact, be defeated, live on Sky Sports in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Birkenhead's Smith has tried once before, losing to Rodtang in 2022. This weekend though he rematches Rodtang over five rounds for the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship. The title is now only on the line for Smith after Rodtang came in over the weight limit.
Smith is convinced that he is now equipped to beat the home crowd favourite at the Lumpinee stadium in Bangkok.
"Win the biggest prize in Muay Thai in the biggest stadium in Muay Thai," Smith told Sky Sports. "Everyone thinks I'm going to lose. I absolutely love that.
"I can't wait to prove everybody wrong.
"When I do win, that's when I can change my family's lives," he continued.
"I think he's perceived as a man that can't be beat. The Iron Man. Which he is, the Iron Man, I suppose. He does live up to his name.
"But I'm here to take that crown off him."
Smith knows that Rodtang will treat him as a threat.
"He didn't come at me with his hands down [in the first fight], he didn't give me any free shots, he didn't showboat, he took me seriously which I'm expecting him to do again. Because if he doesn't he's in for a shock," the Briton said.
"It was my first fight at that level against the most elite fighter in my weight division. My first fight in ONE Championship, my first fight away from home, it was a lot of firsts for me.
"When I first fought him in 2022, it definitely wasn't the right time to fight him then but I did it anyway. He didn't do any of that against me then and I think it would be very stupid for him to do that against me now.
"It's not a competition about how tough you are. It's about how good you are.
"I've got a very exciting style. I come to win. I come to entertain," Smith added. "I'll be doing that again but with just a little bit more patience and a little bit better fight IQ and just smarter work.
"I back myself against anybody on the planet with two arms, two legs and the same weight as me.
"I'm coming to cause an upset."
Watch Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs Jacob Smith live on Sky Sports Mix at 1am on Saturday morning. Get Sky Sports F1 to watch every race and more live
