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Lasiri dreams of stopping Rodtang in world title showdown
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Joseph Lasiri
O
NE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Joseph Lasiri knows a little about the power of perseverance, and he’ll put that to the test in his upcoming bout.
The Italian-Moroccan star moves up a division to challenge ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 4: Abbasov vs. Lee on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium – and he’s ready to take another exciting step in his combat sports journey.
“I've been training Muay Thai for more than 15 years, 20 years, so I'm ready for anything in the ring. [When] I face off with Rodtang, I will be proud of myself, for sure. And what I'm really looking forward to is going there to do my job and make it an opportunity to be an inspiration for my team, my family, and the people around me,” he said.
“If I bring [back] the gold, I am sure more people will listen to me, my story, and my hard work, so I want that. I want to win this belt and challenge myself first, and be proud of myself, and try to make it an opportunity to be an inspiration to all the people who follow me.”
The 31-year-old dynamo is on a three-fight winning streak, with his last appearance in the Circle earning him the strawweight strap. Lasiri outworked Prajanchai PK.Saenchai in their World Title tussle in May to such an extent that the Thai striking sensation was unable to answer the bell at the start of the third round.
Read also: Nong-O set to defend Muay Thai throne at ONE Fight Night 6Lasiri's victory shocked the world, and now he looks to do the same to Muay Thai megastar Rodtang.
“The Iron Man” will offer a significant challenge for the strawweight Muay Thai king, however. He has yet to taste defeat in ONE’s striking-only disciplines, where he has racked up an 11-0 slate against some of the best competitors in the business.
Despite the intimidating obstacle that lies ahead, “The Hurricane” is optimistic and eager, and he has nothing but victory on his mind – be it while awake or asleep.
“My beautiful dream is when I see Rodtang, it will be like Prajanchai. He comes back in the corner, and he doesn't come back to do the next round. This is my best dream, and I see it many times,” Lasiri said.
Up next, don’t miss ONE Fight Night 4: Abbasov vs. Lee on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at https://ticketmaster.sg/activity/detail/22_onenovsg.
This article was published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
