Liam Harrison says Japanese upstart Yutaro Asahi 'would be a nightmare for anyone': "Even I wouldn't fight him"
British Muay Thai legend Liam Harrison has seen enough of Yutaro Asahi to understand why the 24-year-old Japanese warrior deserves his spot among the most elite strikers on the global stage.
The Phoenix Gym affiliate got his ONE campaign underway with a decisive win over Seksan Or Kwanmuang at ONE Friday Fights 58 this past April.
While many, including 'Hitman,' favored another triumphant outing for the Thai striking veteran, the lanky Japanese warrior dished out one of his finest career displays to take home the biggest upset on the April 5 bill to bring an end to Seksan's perfect promotional run.
So much so that the Bad Company representative himself believes he wouldn't want to wage a war against Asahi.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Liam Harrison, who is getting ready for his comeback fight against Katsuki Kitano at ONE 167, explained just why:
"That Japanese guy was all over in the ring. He was flying in with all sorts of stuff. It would be a nightmare for anyone to fight him. Even I wouldn't fight him. I couldn't be ar**ed to be running around the ring and just be getting f***ing hit with random punches and elbows that."
Watch Liam Harrison's full interview here:
Despite knowing what 'The Man Who Yields To No One' brought to the table, Asahi didn't look one bit afraid to trade with his dance partner last month.
The Japanese sensation picked the better shots in the opening stanza and his speedy movement and savvy hands helped him floor Seksan in round two.
He stuck to the same tactics to foil Seksan, who came swinging in the final three minutes, to bag one of the most impressive triumphs in ONE Friday Fights this year.
Liam Harrison says Seksan's all-out style is a double-edged sword
Though he admires Seksan's warrior spirit and desire to turn each of his fights into an epic brawl, Liam Harrison feels the Thai leaves himself open at times when he's trading wildly in the pocket.
And he hopes to use the Muay Thai legend's strengths against him when they go toe-to-toe at ONE 168: Denver on September 6.
In the same interview with SCMP, 'Hitman' added:
"His weakness is his strength. He just can't fall. And he leaves himself open. He takes a lot of big shots. Tyson Harrison had him wobbled, River Daz had him wobbled, I punch two to three times harder than both of them guys and two to three times more accurate as well."
Tickets for ONE 168: Denver, which goes down inside the Ball Arena, can be purchased here.