Liam Harrison To Make Long-Awaited Return Against Katsuki Kitano At ONE 167
After almost two years out of action due to injury, Liam “Hitman” Harrison will get back to business at ONE 167: Stamp vs. Zamboanga on Prime Video.
On Friday, June 7, in U.S. primetime, the 38-year-old English legend will return in a bantamweight Muay Thai clash against Japanese rising star Katsuki Kitano at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Harrison wasn’t sure whether he’d compete again following the severe knee injury he sustained in his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title loss to Nong-O Hama in August 2022, but after several setbacks, “Hitman” has worked his way back to full strength.
The multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion was riding back-to-back wins in ONE and five overall when he challenged Nong-O for the gold and looked his best until the injury put him on the sidelines.
That impressive run included an all-time classic fight with Muangthai PK Saenchai, in which Harrison got off the canvas twice to finish the Thai star with a trio of knockdowns. Now, with the chance to resume his competitive career, the Leeds native is excited to deliver more epic battles.
Meanwhile, Kitano impressed in his ONE debut against Halil Kutukcu last October, dropping his opponent with an elbow in round one and showing grit to claim the unanimous decision victory despite a tough third round.
The Japanese striker is stylistically very different from the aggressive Harrison. He utilizes many fast and flicky kicks to keep his rivals at bay, hoping to force errors and find openings for his bigger shots.
Kitano’s last outing extended his winning streak to seven, so he’s in fine form ahead of this massive opportunity.
Harrison is still eyeing some big matchups in ONE, and he’ll be motivated to keep those prospects alive.
On the other side, 27-year-old Kitano knows he has a big chance to make a name for himself against an iconic figure in “the art of eight limbs.”
Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news and announcements about ONE 167 on June 7.
