British legend Liam Harrison regrets he arrived at ONE Championship “a little bit too late”
Liam Harrison could've further built his already stacked legacy if only he had arrived in ONE Championship earlier in his career.
The British Muay Thai and kickboxing legend cemented his status as one of the greatest strikers in the history of combat sports but admitted that he is still vulnerable to the unstoppable tides of Father Time.
Taking to Instagram, Harrison expressed his regrets about joining the world's largest martial arts organization at the tail end of his prime.
Liam Harrison wrote:
"Win lose or draw, I could stand with anyone in my prime. It’s a shame I never got to show this version of me on ONE Championship. Just came a little bit too late."
Harrison shared highlights of his younger self where he bulldozed his way through the opposition with unparalleled speed, power, and aggression.
A multi-time Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion, Harrison joined ONE Championship in Dec. 2018 and figured in absolute bangers against Rodlek, Petchmorakot Petchyindee, and Muangthai.
It was in his April 2022 fight against Muangthai that Harrison produced arguably the greatest comeback in combat sports history.
After getting knocked down twice in the opening round of their bantamweight Muay Thai matchup, Harrison rallied back with the ferocity of a wounded beast and dropped Muangthai thrice in the same period.
Harrison, however, would suffer a devastating knee injury in his next match when he challenged then-holder Nong-O Hama for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title at ONE on Prime Video 1 in Aug. 2022.
After a two-year injury layoff, Harrison returned to action at ONE 168: Denver earlier this month but lost to Thai legend Seksan via technical knockout at Ball Arena.
Liam Harrison eventually decided to retire after the loss in Denver, closing a career that started in 1999.
Liam Harrison looks at the painful realization that he can no longer hang with the current generation's best stars
Liam Harrison was an absolute menace during his prime in the 2000s and 2010s, but age ultimately caught up to him in 2024.
'Hitman' admitted he doesn't have the same toughness and tenacity he once had in his prime, and it would be foolish for him to face current stars such as Nico Carrillo and Superlek Kiatmoo9 at this point in his career.
Harrison said in the post-event press conference of ONE 168:
"I'm 39, and then I look at guys right in their prime like Nico Carrillo and Superlek, and I don’t know [if I could] fucking beat those guys now, do you know what I mean?"