"I can't show my opponent that I'm hurt again" - Sinsamut reveals he's been working on his grit after recent setback
While Sinsamut Klinmee is one of the hardest hitters in 'The Art of Eight Limbs,' he admits to having shortcomings when it comes to his grit and durability. Being able to absorb punishment is crucial for the Thai slugger, especially due to his aggressive 'Muay Mat' style.
This was evident in his last outing against the dangerous Dmitry Menshikov at ONE Fight Night 22 last May. Despite being well ahead after the first two rounds, Sinsamut dropped the ball in the third and was caught by the heavy-handed Russian, who scored a comeback KO win.
After some much-needed soul-searching, the 28-year-old went back to the drawing board and changed his perspective.
In an interview with ONE Championship, 'Aquaman' revealed he took some karate lessons in a bid to shore up his toughness.
"After the latest fight, I went to learn karate. And I work with my grit. From now on when I get hit, I can’t show my opponent that I’m hurt again."
Sinsamut worked hard to improve his striking defense behind closed doors and it appears like he added the mentality of not showing even an ounce of weakness to the enemy.
This will certainly come in handy in less than 24 hours when he slugs it out with promotional newcomer Youssef Assouik at ONE Fight Night 25: Nicolas vs. Eersel II on Prime Video.
Sinsamut trained extensively with Nabil Anane to mimic Youssef Assouik's height
Sinsamut knows the trajectory of his strikes will have to be higher than usual when he faces his 6-foot-3 opponent Youssef Assouik.
As such, he employed the aid of his Venum Training Camp teammate Nabil Anane, who has a similar height and build to his Danish-Morrocan adversary.
'Aquaman' told ONE:
"He is indeed taller than me. So I sparred with Nabil [Anane] a lot. Because Nabil is a tall fighter like him. To fight with a taller fighter, I need to fight at a close distance because I will be at a disadvantage on the outside."
ONE Fight Night 25 will emanate from Bangkok's iconic Lumpinee Stadium on Oct. 4. This event will air live in US Primetime free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in North America.