‘I’ll Come For Him Anyway’ – Rodtang Happy To Play Joseph Lasiri’s Game And Go For The Kill
Rodtang Jitmuangnon is back and ready to defend his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title on Friday, November 18.
This time, “The Iron Man” will put his belt on the line against reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri in the co-main event of ONE on Prime Video 4: Abbasov vs. Lee.
Disappointed after being forced to withdraw from the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix semifinals back in August, the Thai megastar wants to make it up to those in attendance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Recalling his decision to exit his last scheduled bout at ONE on Prime Video 1, Rodtang explained:
“I said to myself that I could have a thousand belts, but if I can’t give a great performance to entertain the fans, it is meaningless for me.
“I care for my fans who always follow me and want to see me put on a show. I want to entertain them in every fight. Without them, there wouldn’t be a Rodtang today.”
Although it dashed his hopes of adding the tournament’s silver strap to his resume, “The Iron Man” is now focused on retaining the gold in a World Champion vs. World Champion encounter with Lasiri.
Meanwhile, “The Hurricane” scored an upset over Prajanchai PK.Saenchai earlier this year to claim the strawweight Muay Thai throne, and he’s now challenging for supremacy in a second division.
It certainly isn’t an easy thing to achieve, but Rodtang doesn’t blame his opponent for trying.
He said:
“If I were [Lasiri], I would do the same. There is nothing for him to lose even if he loses the fight. On the contrary, if he wins, he will get a massive reward.
“It is just like when I accepted [the mixed-rules fight] with Demetrious Johnson. Although I lost that match, I didn’t feel the loss at all, because I was willing to take a challenge and risk. But if I had won, I would feel like I had made a great step further.”
Rodtang Planning Third-Round Finish Of Joseph Lasiri
Rodtang is known as one of the most tenacious and tough fighters in ONE Championship, while Joseph Lasiri might be one of the only athletes who can rival him in those departments.
“The Hurricane” has already taken on some of the greatest athletes at both flyweight and strawweight, earning his reputation as a fearless competitor by absorbing their best shots and continuing to attack.
“The Iron Man” has a lot of respect for what his upcoming foe brings to the Circle, but he still expects to gain an edge when they come to blows.
Rodtang said:
“His strength is his Muay Thai experience. He has fought many elite Thai fighters. He used to train Muay Thai in Thailand. Another one is his agility, which I can’t underestimate.
“As for his weakness, I think my strikes are heavier than his. If we trade, I’m sure I can knock him down
“Everything he has is on the same level as me, except for his power. His attacks are weaker than mine.”
While Rodtang’s relentless aggression might faze most competitors, Lasiri welcomes it.
In fact, the Italian-Moroccan star recently stated that his best chance of winning will come if “The Iron Man” gets emotional and charges forward recklessly.
However, Rodtang is happy to play along with this. A reverse gear does not exist in his arsenal, and he thinks his firepower will be enough to overcome any potential traps Lasiri intends to lay down.
The defending ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion added:
“Let him do as he likes. In fact, he will have no time to make me angry. And no need to lure me into his game. I’ll come for him anyway.
“I expect to knock him out in round three. I want to knock him out with a high kick. But it would be tricky because he is too tall to reach. So, I think I’ll knock him out with my killer punch and elbow instead.”
November 18 | ONE on Prime Video 4: Abbasov vs. Lee | 8 p.m. ET | How To Watch
- Fans in the U.S. and Canada can watch for free with an Amazon Prime subscription!
