‘I Fight With My Head’ – Unbeaten Halil Amir Says His IQ Will Lead To Knockout Of Maurice Abevi
Seven months after his stunning ONE Championship debut, #4-ranked lightweight MMA contender Halil Amir is set for his much-anticipated return to the Circle.
On April 21 at ONE Fight Night 9: Nong-O vs. Haggerty on Prime Video, the undefeated Turkish sensation will square off with Swiss standout Maurice Abevi at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Last September, Amir made waves throughout the combat sports world with his vicious first-round knockout of former ONE Lightweight World Title challenger Timofey Nastyukhin.
That unforgettable finish put the rising star on highlight reels for years to come – and more importantly, landed him in the division’s top five.
But while his explosiveness stood out, Amir proudly considers himself a cerebral fighter. He told ONEFC.com:
“Whoever examines my game understands that I fight with my head. That is, I think. I don’t attack directly. Of course, sometimes you do, but I fight more with thought. I don’t mean to say I’m the highest-IQ fighter in the world, but I think my IQ is high.”
Just because Halil is an intellectual fighter doesn’t mean he’s not a ruthless finisher, too.
In fact, the Amir Team athlete owns an impressive 100 percent finishing rate across his eight professional bouts, boasting seven knockouts and one submission.
And although he needed less than a minute to dispatch Nastyukhin in spectacular fashion, he says he typically finds the finish later in bouts as his strikes continue to add up:
“I’m a very intelligent fighter who picks up the pace as fights go on and wears down his opponents. I am well-rounded, but I’m a striker at heart. My knees and kicks are my most dangerous weapons. I always come for a finish, so far getting it in all of my fights – mostly by way of knockout.”
Amir Unimpressed With Abevi: ‘He Looks Like A Standard Fighter’
When Halil Amir enters the Circle against Maurice Abevi, he’ll be facing a ONE Championship newcomer who owns an undefeated record and a perfect finishing rate – just like his own debut last year.
On paper, it would seem like the Turkish athlete has plenty to be concerned about. However, Amir quickly dismissed Abevi’s 6-0 slate and high-level finishing abilities:
“I don’t see anything too big as a danger. He looks like a standard fighter.”
Ultimately, Amir isn’t worried about his opponent because he’s just so confident in himself.
On April 21, he plans to implement the same game plan he’s used throughout his career – one that’s turned him into a feared knockout artist and the lightweight MMA division’s most exciting new contender.
The 28-year-old added:
“Pressure, I’m going to apply pressure from the first second and see if he will hold up to my pace.
“I don’t want to leave it to the judges, as usual. I don’t go directly to the knockout – the knockout itself comes.”
