Nhất to fight Puric in ONE Championship comeback

Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất of Việt Nam (left) and Denis Puric at the ONE Fight Night 17’s weight-in on December 8. VNS Photo Nam Trung

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s king of muay thai Nguyễn Trần Duy Nhất will mark his return to the professional ONE Championship on December 9 when he fights Denis Puric at the ONE Fight Night 17’s flyweight in Bangkok, Thailand.

Nhất has not been competing in the professional Muay Thai arena for four years. Instead, he concentrated on mixed martial arts (MMA) and secured remarkable results.

However, he recently announced his retirement from MMA to focus on his real passion Muay Thai as he has been on top of the world in both combat and performance categories eight times.

However, competing in the world-famous ONE Championship is a big challenge to Nhất as well as all other fighters.

Bosnian Puric, who trained with Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek, is a huge obstacle in the ring. He has competed in many other major competitions such as Bellator, Kunlun Fight, Wu Ling Feng and K-1 along with three times at the ONE Championship.

“Puric is a strong fighter with powerful punches which I will have to be careful with,” said Nhất at the weight-in on December 8.

“Everything needs to be planned, especially the way I deliver my kicks and my secret weapons.”

Nhất said in addition to his punches, ‘The Bosnian Menace’ Puric also has strong fitness and a brave fighting style so he must manage the and use his foot strikes to keep a distance from Puric.

“Making him exhausted by time will be my target but I am not hesitant to win with a knockout if I have an opportunity,” Nhất said.

The Vietnamese No 1 Muay Thai expected a win that would allow him to make his dream of fighting ONE Championship reigning champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon of Thailand.

In his latest appearance at the ONE Championship in 2019, Nhất floored Japanese Yuta Watanabe with a heavy kick to the head at the Edge of Greatness event in Singapore. Two months earlier, his debut at the ONE Championship was marked with a KO win over Azwan Che Wil of Malaysia at the Immortal Triumph event in HCM City.

The ONE Fight Night 17 will be held at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium featuring seven thrilling fights which will be broadcast live on ONE Championship channels. VNS