Kang Ji Won believes his forward pressure and footwork will unsettle Kirill Grishenko at ONE Fight Night 23
Kang Ji Won revealed details of his game plan to defeat Kirill Grishenko.
'Mighty Warrior' made his ONE Championship debut in February 2021, starting with consecutive first-round TKO wins against Mehdi Barghi and Amir Aliakbari. Since then, the South Korean heavyweight has gone back and forth between victories and defeats, leading to a promotional record of 4-2.
On July 5, Won looks to continue building momentum following a second-round win against Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif. To do so, the 28-year-old heavyweight must get through Grishenko, a former interim title challenger, at ONE Fight Night 23.
During an interview with ONE, 'Mighty Warrior' discussed his upcoming fight against Grishenko and had this to say:
"We'll only know when we're in the ring together, but I believe I will focus on my forward pressure and keep my footwork on point throughout the fight and give him trouble."
ONE Fight Night 23 goes down inside the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The July 5 event featuring Kang Ji Won vs Kirill Grishenko can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
What's at stake between Kang Ji Won and Kirill Grishenko?
Three-division world champion Anatoly Malykhin currently runs the ONE Championship heavyweight MMA division. On November 8, Malykhin will defend his throne against top contender 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane at ONE 168.
Meanwhile, Amir Aliakbari, riding a four-fight win streak, is close to securing a heavyweight title shot. The only problem is that Malykhin has several titles to defend, so it's unclear when he will return to the division following ONE 168.
Therefore, Kang Ji Won and Kirill Grishenko are fighting to solidify their presence in the title picture. Although it's unconfirmed by ONE, the winner at ONE Fight Night 23 could find themself facing top contender Ben Tynan or Aliakbari to determine who receives a title shot in early 2025.