"I must protect myself more" - Nong-O on the lessons he learned after shocking KO losses to Jonathan Haggerty, Nico Carrillo
Nong-O reflected on the devastating two-fight losing streak before bouncing back earlier this month.
In April 2023, Nong-O entered a ONE bantamweight world title defense against Jonathan Haggerty with plans to extend his promotional record to 11-0. Unfortunately for him, Haggerty had other plans and shockingly knocked him out in round one to dethrone the Thai superstar.
Eight months later, Nong-O returned and suffered another knockout loss against number one contender Nico Carrillo.
There were questions about Nong-O potentially needing to retire. At ONE Friday Fights 58 on April 5, the former bantamweight Muay Thai king silenced the doubters by securing a unanimous decision win against Kulabdam.
During an interview with ONE, Nong-O had this to say about the lessons he learned from his two-fight skid:
"Before this victory, I lost two fights in a row. I learned a lot of lessons. I understood that I must protect myself more, be more careful."
Where does Nong-O stand in the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai division?
Following his latest win, Nong-O solidified himself as the number two-ranked fighter in the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai division. Ahead of the Thai superstar is Nico Carrillo, who will likely receive a title shot in his next fight.
While speaking to ONE, the former bantamweight Muay Thai king had this to say about maintaining his plan to regain gold:
"Right now, I have one goal: to return to take back my throne. No matter who is that champion. I can fight them all. The king has returned."
Nong-O will likely need another win before earning a title shot. Luckily, he will have time to fight again without missing out on any opportunities, as the reigning bantamweight Muay Thai king Jonathan Haggerty has a must-see matchup booked before potentially facing Nico Carrillo.
On September 6, ONE Championship will return to North America when ONE 168 goes down inside the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. In the main event, Haggerty looks to extend his legacy by defending his throne against ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek.