ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 has a balancing act on his hands over the next few months.
First up, “The Kicking Machine” will take on fellow Thai standout Kongthoranee Sor Sommai in a flyweight Muay Thai contest on the stacked ONE Friday Fights 68: Prajanchai vs. Di Bella card, which goes down at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday, June 28.
Then, at ONE 168: Denver, he’ll shoot for two-weight, two-sport glory when he challenges Jonathan “The General” Haggerty for one of his two belts – the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.
Despite the challenge that awaits him on September 6, Superlek insists that he won’t be overlooking the rising Kongthoranee this Friday.
“Kongthoranee and Haggerty are two different people with different styles. I don’t think the game plan will be the same for these two,” Prajanchai said.
“However, I have always put 100 percent of my effort into every fight. Fans can expect a great performance from me, and I’m sure for Kongthoranee too. It’s going to be a great fight. I feel like I’m faster than him. For sure, I will try to end the fight either as soon as possible, or with no major injury.”
Even if he emerges from ONE Friday Fights 68 in one piece, Superlek still has his work cut out between now and September.
Superlek Kiatmoo9 looks ahead to blockbuster date with Jonathan Haggerty
After he faces Kongthoranee Sor Sommai at ONE Friday Fights 68, Superlek Kiatmoo9 has a battle with not only Jonathan Haggerty but, indeed, the scales.
In the same interview with ONE, the 28-year-old admitted that finding the optimal weight for his next two fights will be as much of a challenge as the fights themselves.
“The only thing that kind of worried me a bit is the process of cutting weight and putting it back on. Before being offered the fight with Kongthoranee, I was putting on weight to prepare for my fight with Haggerty,” he said.
“Now, I’m cutting it back, and right after, I will have to make it to bantamweight. I’m not worried at all about the fight, though. It’ll be a great experience to fight in front of the new fan base. It’s been huge for me to have more fans from around the world.”
ONE 168 marks ONE’s return to the United States after a wildly successful debut event, ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III, in May 2023.