‘Amazing Name For Me To Beat’ – Diego Paez Targets Statement Performance Against Black Panther At ONE Fight Night 40

Colombian-American striker Diego Paez is determined to showcase his evolution as a complete fighter when he faces Thailand’s Black Panther in a flyweight Muay Thai clash that opens ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Prime Video.

The pair will collide on Friday, February 13, their fight broadcasting live in U.S. primetime from within the fabled walls of Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium.

The California-based fighter made his promotional debut last February against Sean Climaco, suffering a close split-decision loss that could have gone either way. 

In his next outing, Paez faced a step up in competition when he met teenage sensation Johan “Jojo” Ghazali, one of Muay Thai’s most exciting young stars. The veteran rose to the challenge, securing a hard-fought split-decision victory.

For Paez, the victory over Ghazali represented a critical validation of his skills and game plan.

The seasoned striker explained:

“It was very important. I thought it went well. It played out the way that I envisioned it. Obviously, I wanted to finish, but I had to respect his power at the same time. But I thought I was ahead on the rounds and it played out well, just as we planned.”

Now preparing for Black Panther, Paez has refined his training approach to maximize performance while protecting his body from unnecessary wear.

At the age of 32, smart training has become as important as hard training.

He shared his evolved preparation methodology:

“I’ve been working on everything. I’ve been working more boxing. I have to be very smart about my training, so I’ve been more aware of the recovery and the mental state and all the things that kind of lead up to a fight.”

While some fighters might view age as a disadvantage, Paez has embraced how experience and intelligence can overcome physical attributes that younger competitors possess.

When asked about his greatest strengths heading into this matchup, Paez highlighted what separates him from younger competition:

“I think with my age, I’m quick, I’m fast glitch, and what I think I bring to the table is the fight IQ. Not only the fight IQ, just the IQ as an individual.

“I don’t really let my ego get in the way, although I still have ego. I think it’s important for a fighter to have some ego. But, yeah, I think that’s the best attribute now. Like, if I can fight that 25-year-old version of me, I’d beat [him] just off IQ.”

Paez Eyes Statement Finish Against ‘One-Dimensional’ Thai

Diego Paez has already been visualizing this fight for months.

The 32-year-old striker watched Black Panther’s previous bout against Colombian fan favorite Johan “Panda Kick” Estupinan, and like he does with every flyweight matchup, immediately began mentally preparing for the possibility of facing the Thai himself.

Beyond that initial viewing, Paez has conducted an extensive study of Black Panther’s promotional run, identifying patterns and tendencies that could provide advantages.

The California-based striker explained:

“I saw his last fight with the Colombian, and what’s funny is when I saw the fight, every time I see someone in my weight class fight, I always visualize myself fighting him. So I saw the fight, I saw clips of it, and I already had mentally planted that seed.

“So, when the name hit at the table, I was already prepared for it. And then after that, I did a little dive on his fights prior to that. I think he’s young, he’s hungry, he’s on a good winning streak, and he’s an amazing name for me to beat. And I’m all for it, and I’m ready for it.”

Paez acknowledges the challenge while believing his skills and experience provide the path to victory.

Moreover, he enters this bout with specific goals beyond simply winning. After his decision victory over Ghazali, the 32-year-old wants to remind everyone he can finish fights spectacularly when opportunities present themselves.

The Classic Fight Team representative concluded:

“I think his biggest weakness is he’s one dimensional. I think he has one style, one rhythm, and he’s a come-forward fighter.

“I really want to finish. I was so used to coming off a five-round fights, so these three rounds, I need to start a lot quicker. And I feel like with this body in front of me, what a perfect matchup to get a finish on too, because he’s a tough guy, and the Thais aren’t easy to finish, so I’m excited to go out there and perform.”