"I would not feel right" - Liam Harrison explains why he won't go after Nico Carrillo's hard-earned title shot
Liam Harrison isn't under any illusions about where he is at right now in his career. The striking veteran is looking to wind down the final few chapters of his storied run by putting on some fun fights before hanging up the gloves for good.
At one time, there was much talk of him fighting fellow Brit and current two-sport world champion Jonathan Haggerty.
This wasn't out of the realm of possibility after Harrison had just fought for the title but the injuries he suffered in that fight took him a long time to come back from.
The fight is no longer a realistic option for 'The Hitman' but even if he was offered it, there's another obstacle that would prevent him from taking this all-British showdown.
Harrison believes that undefeated contender Nico Carrillo has earned his shot and should be next for the winner of the main event at ONE 168.
He told the South China Morning Post that accepting a fight with Haggerty, if it was on the table, would mean screwing over Carrillo, which isn't something he would consider:
"Imagine if Haggerty defends the belt here, and then the boss says 'Okay, it's Haggerty vs Liam.' I won't feel good for myself. I would not feel right. I'm friends with Nico. And Nico needs his shot next."
Watch the full interview below:
Liam Harrison has spent a long time campaigning for Nico Carrillo
Liam Harrison has been a big supporter of Nico Carrillo since the Scotsman debuted in ONE Championship.
Since that point, he has earned four consecutive wins, with finishes in each and every appearance.
His victories over Nong-O Hama and Saemapetch Fairtex have been more than enough to earn him a title shot if it hadn't been for the huge clash between Haggerty and Superlek that is set to go down at the Ball Arena in Denver on September 6.
Harrison will return on the same card against Seksan Or Kwanmuang, but as he made clear, he has no plans to face the champion shortly after.
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available via Ticketmaster.