"He definitely surprised me" - Johan Estupinan admits heavy-handed Sean Climaco tested him like never before
Muay Thai rising star Johan Estupinan admits that Sean Climaco gave his a run for his money when they collided at ONE 168: Denver. The Colombian brawler put on a show of epic proportions last Friday, that got every striking fan cheering from the stands.
Both Estupinan and Climaco gave it their all, landing and absorbing some serious strikes until one man was standing.
After two knockdowns apiece, 'Panda Kick' came with the winning TKO in the second round of their flyweight barnburner. During the ONE 168 In-Circle interviews, Estupinan said:
"Yeah, he definitely surprised me. I came in forward and he hit me, but I wasn't too hurt, but I was just surprised but everything went excellent. I came ready and we got it done."
The 21-year-old Colombian is living up to all the hype after securing his third straight victory under the promotion, especially after having a quick turnaround. He won the first 50K performance bonus of the night as a result.
The full replay of ONE 168 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
"Now I get to live that dream" - Johan Estupinan is forever grateful to martial arts for saving him from a life of gangs and violence
Johan Estupinan has one of the most incredible stories known to man.
Like most athletes coming from Latin America, Estupinan is no stranger to poverty or abandonment. He made a tough decision at an early age to pursue martial arts to get himself detached from life as a gang member in Colombia.
The 21-year-old sensation remembers martial arts being the saving grace for an aspiring young athlete.
Speaking to ONE, he said:
"Martial arts have been everything for me sine I was a kid. I've always wanted to be a fighter fighting inside of the world's best organization that is ONE Championship, and now I get to live that dream."
Indeed, performing in the United States for the first time is a great step for what's to come.