SUMMARY
- Liam Harrison is set to return after suffering a brutal injury against Nong-O Hama in 2022.
- Harrison will fight Katsuki Kitano at ONE 167 in June.
British Muay Thai star Liam Harrison has been through the ringer since August 2022. Chasing World Title glory, the #5-ranked bantamweight Muay Thai fighter tore his ACL, MCL, and meniscus in a battle with former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai king Nong-O Hama at ONE on Prime Video 1, putting him on the sideline for two years.
After an arduous process to get back to full fitness, Harrison meets Katsuki Kitano at ONE 167 on Prime Video on Friday, June 7, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Impact Arena. The time away has taught the Brit a lot about himself, and overcoming the mental battles have made his mindset more bulletproof than ever.
“This sport is the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. I say this all the time. The fight before [the injury against Nong-O], I fought Muangthai. I knocked him out in the first round. It got voted Fight of the Year. Five knockdowns in the space of 90 seconds. I got a $100,000 bonus from that fight,” he said.
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“Then, the next fight, I leave on a stretcher and get put in the back of an ambulance. So what can you do? You’ve got to suck it up and be able to come back strong. And that’s what I’m doing.”
At 38-years-old, the injuries suffered against Nong-O could have easily ended many fighters’ careers. But that’s not the cloth from which the Leeds lad is cut. Harrison is out to make up for the lost time against Kitano at ONE 167, and there’s no doubt he’ll be looking to remind fans of the destruction he brings to the dance next month.
Liam Harrison embracing the process of getting fit for ONE 167
Liam “Hitman” Harrison is well-known for his hard-hitting, barn-burning approach to fighting. Fighting with his heart on his sleeve is what’s made him a fan-favorite in ONE Championship.
But the last two years haven’t been kind to him. Injuries have plagued him. But with the setbacks seemingly in the past, nothing is stopping him from enjoying the process of getting back into fighting shape ahead of his return at ONE 167 on Prime Video on Friday, June 7.
“Now I’m back to training like I was before. Getting lots of hard, hard sparring rounds in because, obviously, while I’ve been out with injury, that’s what I missed. So I’m getting all that locked in now. I’m sparring with some real heavy hitters, some real sharp guys, and I’m just enjoying it,” he said.
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“I was in pain all the time. The main thing is now I’m not. And I’m enjoying it again. So it’s going to be good to be back.”
At ONE 167, Harrison joins the likes of ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai and ONE flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon, all featuring on the star-studded card next month.