Chingiz Allazov Vs. Marat Grigorian: 4 Keys To Kickboxing World Title Victory At ONE Fight Night 13
This Friday, August 4, reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Chingiz Allazov will defend his gold for the first time in a long-awaited trilogy match with Armenian striking great Marat Grigorian.
Slated for the main event of ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video, this massive World Title showdown represents the continuation of a rivalry between pound-for-pound powerhouses that began outside of ONE a decade ago.
The pair’s first meeting ended in a no contest following an accidental elbow strike, while Grigorian emerged victorious in their second clash after three rounds of high-paced action.
Before the World Title bout gets underway live in U.S. primetime from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, we dive into each man’s biggest keys to victory.
#1 Grigorian’s Constant Pressure
One of the most ruthlessly powerful athletes in kickboxing history, Grigorian tends to do his best work when he can pin his opponent against the ropes and unleash his thunderous combinations.
To accomplish that goal, he continuously marches forward, keeping his guard high and tight as he employs subtle footwork to cut off the ring.
Against the speedy and dynamic titleholder, Grigorian will want to make the ring small by trapping his foe in the corner. And once there, he shouldn’t waste any opportunity to unload the concussive punches that have made him a beloved and iconic knockout artist.
#2 Allazov’s High-Volume Attack
With three knockouts in four ONE victories, “Chinga” has proven to be an immensely dangerous striker in his own right, but he typically sets up the finish with a fast-paced, high-volume approach that forces his opponents on the defensive from the opening bell.
It’s an approach that could serve him well against the defensively sound Grigorian, as the featherweight kickboxing king will likely attack with a wide variety of strikes early and often.
Not only should this rack up damage on the Armenian, but it would also slow the challenger’s suffocating forward pressure, overwhelming him with the sheer number of strikes he’s forced to defend.
#3 Grigorian’s Close-Range Punches
The #2-ranked featherweight kickboxing contender is a devastating puncher – particularly when he’s working in close range.
Again, the key to Grigorian’s approach is forward pressure with the ultimate goal of stifling his opponent’s movement. Once he’s accomplished that, his favorite weapons are his devastating punches, especially his jaw-crushing left hook and left uppercut.
The 32-year-old would be wise to work inside Allazov’s long-range weapons and let his hands fly, testing the divisional king’s chin with his legendary power.
#4 Allazov’s Unpredictable Strikes
While the challenger tends to throw more fundamental punch-kick combinations, the defending World Champion possesses one of the most diverse and unpredictable striking games in all of kickboxing.
Whether he’s throwing stabbing front kicks to the face and body, spinning backfists, or the missile of a right hand that knocked out Superbon Singha Mawynn to capture the divisional crown, Allazov is a virtuoso at keeping his opponents guessing.
And because Grigorian is such a defensive master, the Azerbaijani-Belarusian superstar will need to mix up his strikes for as long as the bout lasts as he tries to find a way through his foe’s tight guard.
