“He will have to be very calculated” - Nong-O says Superlek must bring perfect fight IQ in potential war vs tricky Nico Carrillo
Nong-O believes Superlek must be "very calculated" in a potential world title matchup against Nico Carrillo
On September 6, Superlek made history by becoming a two-sport world champion at ONE 168: Denver. The Thai superstar accomplished the feat in legendary fashion, as he knocked out Jonathan Haggerty in 49 seconds to become the new ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion.
Superlek won't have much time before turning his focus to his next challenge. Number two-ranked Nico Carrillo holds a promotional record of 4-0, all knockouts, and seems destined for the next bantamweight Muay Thai title shot.
During an interview with the South China Morning Post, Muay Thai legend Nong-O was asked about the inevitable matchup between Superlek and Carrillo. The former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion had this to say:
"As you said, because he will have to be very calculated. He will have to calculate every angle and he will have to come up with a very good plan."
Nico Carrillo last fought in July against Saemapetch. The Scottish bantamweight contender made a statement with a second-round knockout, adding the veteran to his resume featuring Furkan Karabag, Muangthai, and Nong-O.
Watch Nong-O's entire interview with the South China Morning Post below:
Nong-O looks to continue building momentum at ONE Friday Fights 81
Nong-O knows a thing or two about Nico Carrillo, as they fought in December 2023. Carrillo proved his world championship potential by knocking out the Thai legend in round two, handing the latter his second consecutive loss.
Earlier this year, Nong-O ended his two-fight skid with a unanimous decision win against Kulabdam. The 37-year-old now looks to further silence the doubters by proving he has enough gas left in the tank for another world title run.
On September 27, Nong-O will make his fourteenth promotional appearance at ONE Friday Fights 81. The former bantamweight Muay Thai king's latest opponent is undefeated Russian Kiamran Nabati, who knocked out Suablack earlier this year to extend his ONE record to 3-0.
Number two-ranked Nong-O vs. unranked Nabati is one of the many intriguing matchups taking place at ONE Friday Fights 81. The stacked event inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium can be seen next Friday via pay-per-view.