‘I’m There To Win’ – Dmitrii Kovtun Plans To Take Rambolek’s Spot In Rankings At ONE Fight Night 32
Russian striker Dmitrii “The Silent Assassin” Kovtun is aiming to solidify himself as a serious threat for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title when he faces #4-ranked contender Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon at ONE Fight Night 32: Rodrigues vs. Cohen on Prime Video.
That high-stakes clash will air live in U.S. primetime on June 6 from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
For Kovtun, this matchup will be a chance to extend his two-fight winning streak and burst into the talent-packed divisional rankings.
With impressive victories over elite strikers Ferrari Fairtex, Suablack Tor Pran49, and Soe Lin Oo since joining ONE, the 27-year-old is already a force in the weight class. He’s now eager to take the next step and earn his spot among the upper echelon.
Kovtun recently told onefc.com that he’s hungry to secure a finish (and the potential US$50,000 performance bonus that comes along with it) and punch his ticket to World Title contention:
“Rambolek is the #4-ranked fighter in our division. If I win, I believe I’ll be one of the contenders for the belt.
“Every time I step into the ring, I’m there to win. This time, I really want to get a knockout and earn the bonus.”
The stakes are high for both men.
While “The Silent Assassin” could break into the top five, Rambolek is determined to defend his ranking.
No stranger to talented opposition, Kovtun has plenty of respect for his opponent, but he’s confident that his own precise counter-striking will cause problems for the ultra-aggressive Thai:
“He’s a tough fighter. I’ll look to counter him as he comes in and stick to my usual style.”
Kovtun’s venomous counters and top-tier fight IQ have been difficult puzzles to solve, even for some of the elite Thai strikers he has faced in recent appearances.
His ability to time his opponents’ attacks has often led to tense battles that keep fans on the edges of their seats.
He believes his boxing skills will be the deciding factor against another high-level Thai foe in Rambolek:
“Like many of my past opponents, he tends to come forward in predictable patterns. I believe my boxing gives me the advantage there. I believe I have the edge in boxing, and that’s something I’ll be looking to exploit.”
Working With Russia’s Best
Well aware of the massive opportunity before him at ONE Fight Night 32, Dmitrii Kovtun has left no stone unturned in his meticulous preparations.
After spending a long stretch in Thailand, largely at the famed Sitsongpeenong Muay Thai Camp, he returned to his native Russia to rest and begin his training camp for this fight against Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon:
“I spent time with my family and went back to Chelyabinsk to change the scenery a bit. I’d been in Thailand for eight months straight, so I needed a reset.”
It certainly hasn’t been all rest and relaxation for Kovtun, though. He’s been working with world-class coaching as he fine-tunes his already elite boxing skills.
His careful planning, strategic approach, and training under the best instructors possible are what he believes will be necessary to earn a top-five ranking.
Kovtun added:
“I started camp in Russia, working with my friend Alexander Shamsutdinov, who was the head boxing coach for the Russian national team from 2015 to 2019. The second part of camp is in Thailand with my coach Ruslan Krivusha at his gym in Phuket. As always, I’m putting a strong focus on boxing.”
