ONE 168: Aung La N Sang suggests Denver altitude won’t have too much of an impact on Jonathan Haggerty-Superlek scrap
Aung La N Sang doesn't see the altitude in Denver, Colorado playing much of a role in the ONE 168 headliner on Friday night.
Emanating from Ball Arena on September 6, two-sport king Jonathan Haggerty will defend his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship for the second time in 2024 when he meets one of the most dynamic strikers in all of ONE Championship—Superlek Kiatmoo9.
With the fight taking place 5,280 feet above sea level, fighters and fans have questioned how the elevation will affect one of the most anticipated fights of the year—especially on the side of Superlek, who arrived in Denver much later than Haggerty, giving him less time to acclimate.
However, Aung La N Sang remains confident that 'The Kicking Machine' will be just fine once their fight is in full swing. Aung La told Nick Atkin:
"I think he'll be alright. Jonathan, on the other hand, did the opposite, you know, a month out here [in Denver], which I think is a little too long. But he has everything he needs. He has his own team with him, so good on him. But I think Superlek would be alright."
Aung La N Sang gunning for a fourth-straight win at ONE 168: Denver
Before Superlek and Jonathan Haggerty square off on martial arts' biggest global stage, 'The Burmese Python' will step inside the Circle seeking a fourth-straight victory.
Coming off a trio of impressive finishes—including back-to-back knockouts against Yushin Okami and Gilberto Galvao and a second-round submission victory over Fan Rong—Aung La is on the cusp of a middleweight MMA title opportunity.
Standing in his way of taking another giant step toward contention is Shamil Erdogan, an unbeaten Dagestani wrestler fighting out of Turkey.
Erdogan made a statement in his promotional debut last year with his own win over Fan Ring at ONE Friday Fights 22. Should he snap the streak of Aung La at ONE 168: Denver, Erdogan will establish himself as a legitimate contender in one of ONE's most talent-rich divisions.
Who has their hand raised when two of the division's most exciting scrappers battle it out in a catchweight clash?
ONE 168: Denver will air live on Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime in both the United States and Canada on Friday, September 6. Follow this link for tickets to attend the event live at Ball Arena.