“It’s even hotter than bantamweight” - Nico Carrillo delighted to join murderer’s row of talent in the featherweight Muay Thai ranks
Longtime bantamweight campaigner Nico Carrillo is taking his talents to featherweight and is excited to pit his skills against topnotch opponents in the division under ONE Championship.
The former ONE bantamweight world title contender will be making his debut in the 155-pound weight class at ONE Fight Night 30: Kryklia vs. Knowles on April 4 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the first of what he is hoping to be a successful run in his new division.
In an interview with ONE Championship, 'The King of the North' spoke about his bid in the featherweight lane, including how he is looking forward to going up against among the best in the game right now.
Nico Carrillo said:
“It’s even hotter than bantamweight, isn’t it? Superbon, Tawanchai, Luke Lessei, Bampara Kouyate – it’s stacked."
Nico Carrillo decided to move up to featherweight following his last fight in January, where he lost to Nabil Anane for the interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title by way of a devastating TKO.
He said that after the loss, he came to a realization that at this point of his career, featherweight suits him better as he was already having difficulty making it at bantamweight, to the detriment of his game.
At ONE Fight Night 30, Carrillo will be welcomed in featherweight by veteran Thai fighter Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong.
ONE Fight Night 30: Kryklia vs. Knowles is available for free to North American fans with active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Nico Carrillo tries to pick up the pieces at featherweight following tough bantamweight loss
At ONE Fight Night 30, Nico Carrillo will also try to pick up the pieces and move on from a tough loss last time around at bantamweight.
He touched on it in the same interview with ONE Championship as he begins his journey at featherweight, sharing that while his loss to Nabil Anane for the interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title back in January still haunts him, he is moving on from it.
Carrillo said:
“The one thing I wanted to do in life at that point was turn the clocks back and I knew I couldn’t. It broke my heart. I’ve never been as heartbroken as I was that night. I’d have taken a family member dying much easier than I took that defeat, but it’s now a reminder of what can happen in this game.”
The loss to Anane was the first for Carrillo in five matches in ONE Championship as well as his first in nearly six years.