"My hands are very different from hers" - Natalia Diachkova says she packs more destructive power than Smilla Sundell
Natalia Diachkova believes the striking differential between her and Smilla Sundell could be the difference-maker in their upcoming fight.
In April 2023, Diachkova made her promotional debut on the ONE Friday Fights series. Including her promotional bow and in the months that followed, 'Karelian Lynx' went on a 4-0 run, winning three Muay Thai bouts by knockout, all coming in the opening stanza, leading to a spot on ONE Championship's primary roster.
On May 3, the hard-hitting Russian will challenge Sundell for her ONE women's strawweight Muay Thai world title in the ONE Fight Night 22 main event. Ahead of the intriguing matchup, Diachkova appeared in an interview with the promotion and had this to say about her 19-year-old opponent:
"The only similar thing is that we both rely heavily on our hands, our punches when it comes to winning fights, but my hands are very different from hers!"
Diachkova has looked impressive since debuting at ONE Friday Fights 13. That said, she must be ready for the toughest test of her career, as Sundell holds a promotional record of 4-0, including a third-round knockout win against women's atomweight Muay Thai world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues last time out.
Watch Smilla Sundell's latest knockout against Rodrigues below:
Who else is fighting at ONE Fight Night 22 besides Smilla Sundell and Natalia Diachkova?
Smilla Sundell vs. Natalia Diachkova is the only world title fight on May 3. There are several other intriguing matchups on the night, including a lightweight MMA bout in the co-main event between undefeated rising contenders Halil Amir (10-0) and Akbar Abdullaev (10-0).
Meanwhile, ONE Fight Night 22 should feature many finishes during the undercard, as the following fights are scheduled - Sinsamut Klinmee vs. Dmitry Menshikov (lightweight Muay Thai), Rungrawee vs. Bogdan Shumarov (lightweight kickboxing), Thongpoon vs. Zakari El Jamari (strawweight Muay Thai), and more.
ONE Fight Night 22 goes down inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The upcoming spectacle can be seen live and for free by North American viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription on Friday, May 3.