“I take full responsibility” - Rodtang owns up to weigh-in failure for Denis Puric showdown at ONE 167
Reigning and undisputed ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion 'The Iron Man' Rodtang Jitmuangnon of Thailand came under a lot of heavy fire for his continued weight and hydration woes in ONE Championship.
The 26-year-old megastar came in over six pounds above the flyweight limit for his kickboxing showdown against 39-year-old 'The Bosnian Menace' Denis Puric at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut on Prime Video.
Despite the drama on the scales, 'The Iron Man' put on a striking clinic, dominating Puric at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand last Saturday, June 8th.
Speaking to the media at the official ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II press conference, Rodtang said he was dealing with other injuries leading up to the fight, but that he also owns up to all of his mistakes.
'The Iron Man' stated:
"I have said that it’s been a while, it’s been almost a year since I last fought. And due to the three month injury, I couldn’t really move my hand for three months. I kept that a secret from many people."
Rodtang continued:
"All in all, I take full responsibility for my mistake."
With the victory, Rodtang retains his spot as the most feared man in striking martial arts and will be looking for a couple of megafights later this year.
If you missed any of the action, a replay of ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II is available on-demand via Amazon Prime Video.
What's next for 'The Iron Man' Rodtang Jitmuangnon?
The ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion is eyeing a highly anticipated showdown with Japanese kickboxing icon 'The Natural Born Crusher' Takeru Segawa later this year.
The fight, which was originally scheduled last January, has been a long time coming. And ONE Championship has confirmed they are trying to make this fight.
Aside from Takeru, however, Rodtang has plenty of options. The 26-year-old also has rematches on the table with flyweight kickboxing king Superlek Kiatmoo9 and two-sport world champion Jonathan 'The General' Haggerty.