"He is an agile and quick athlete" - Petchtanong ready to deal with Alaverdi Ramazanov's speed in battle of former champs
Petchtanong Petchfergus isn't underestimating the opponent that will welcome him back to the Circle at ONE Friday Fights 68.
It has been close to two years since the former ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion last stepped inside the Circle.
His win over Hiroki Akimoto at ONE 163 in November of 2022 showed what he is truly capable of but since then, fans have had to wait to see him back in there.
On June 28 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, he is finally back to take on former title challenger Alaverdi Ramazanov.
The Thai veteran is very confident that he holds a significant advantage over his Russian opponent in many ways.
However, he did give credit to Ramazanov in some key fields during a recent interview with ONE Championship.
Whilst he still expects to get his hand raised, Petchtanong said that he does need to be aware of the speed that the man standing across from him brings to the table:
"Alaverdi's strengths are that he is an agile and quick athlete. He is skilled. He can throw punches and kicks really fast. And he has quick footwork in and out."
Petchtanong isn't fazed by Ramazanov
Despite knowing that his opponent can present him with some dangers due to his speed, this isn't going to trouble an experienced world-class competitor like Petchtanong.
His sole focus is on getting his hand raised in his return by any means necessary, and that is a tough source of motivation to compete with.
Ramazanov will need to be at the peak of his powers if he is going to pick up the win here in what could be his crowning achievement to date in ONE Championship.
We will find out when they go head to head for the first time in the promotion on June 28.
ONE Friday Fights 68 will air live in Asian prime time. Check your local listings for more viewing details.