“I refused to do it” - Liam Harrison bares why he decided to do one more fight in ONE against Soe Lin Oo
Liam Harrison "refused" to end his ONE Championship tenure following a loss.
In September 2024, 'Hitman' announced he was retiring from Muay Thai after a second-round knockout defeat against Seksan. The UK superstar returned to action several months later by competing in his promotion, Hitman Fight League, where he defeated Isaac Araya for the WBC Muay Thai Diamond title.
Harrison was later offered an opportunity to fight again in ONE. The 39-year-old accepted the bout against Soe Lin Oo, scheduled for ONE 173 on August 1.
During an interview with Nick Atkin, Harrison had this to say about refusing to end his ONE career after losing against Seksan:
"ONE approached me and they offered me to come back. You know what, I’m not f***ing 120 professional fights and then going out on a loss. I refused to do it."
Liam Harrison's upcoming fight against Soe Lin Oo will take place inside the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. Harrison's last ONE appearance against Seksan went down inside the same venue at ONE 168.
Watch Harrison's entire interview with Atkin below:
Liam Harrison voices respect for Soe Lin Oo ahead of "real tough fight"
Soe Lin Oo is a well-respected striker from Myanmar who gained popularity in Lethwei. Liam Harrison is aware of the danger presented by Soe in their upcoming fight, which he explained during an interview with the South China Morning Post:
"And that's what I'll probably enjoy doing too as well, to be fair. I'm just looking forward to it. Real tough fight, tough challenge, real hard man, and I'm looking forward just getting back in Denver and getting back in the cage and putting the 4-oz gloves back on."
Soe Lin Oo, aged 33, started his ONE Championship tenure with three consecutive knockout wins. He's since suffered three unanimous decision losses against elite competition (Nabil Anane, Seksan, and Dmitrii Kovtun).
At ONE 173, Liam Harrison looks to add to his lengthy highlight reel. The former 3x Muay Thai world champion enters his upcoming challenge with two fights left on his promotional contract.
Watch Harrison's interview with the South China Morning Post below: