ONE Championship: Liam Harrison refuses to fight at ONE 167 after weight miss controversy
Friday morning's ONE Championship ceremonial weigh-ins and face offs were more noticeable for who was missing from the stage than the fighters facing off on it at Bangkok's Impact Arena.
After what he insisted was a "mistake" by ONE officials regarding an unofficial weight check before Thursday's official weigh ins, Liam Harrison confirmed in a statement on social media that he had withdrawn from his bantamweight Muay Thai fight against Katsuki Kitano at ONE 167.
The 38-year-old British legend was left bemused and angered after stepping on the scales at 146lbs at the host Peninsula Hotel, having been told he clocked in at 143lbs just a couple of hours earlier.
Harrison said he then drank less than 500ml of water, and did not eat anything, which led him to believe that ONE officials gave him an incorrect earlier reading, or that the scales were broken.
"The Hitman" told Sportskeeda on Thursday night he would not accept the fight unless he received an apology, and reiterated his stance in the morning before releasing his statement.
Harrison's words were accompanied by a 10-minute video filmed at the Peninsula Hotel explaining his side of the story, with the Briton nowhere to be seen at the Impact Arena on Friday morning.
His opponent, Kitano, who failed to pass hydration during the official window and came in heavy at 149lbs, was also absent from the ceremonial weigh-ins. Harrison wrote:
"This is a deeply disappointing and frustrating experience for me ... This error does not lie with me or my team. Knowing this was broadcast live was humiliating. ONE Championship's refusal to acknowledge their part in this error and their insistance that I remake weight is unacceptable. I have yet to receive an apology or any accountability from ONE Championship.
"The implications of this error are severe. I am no longer able to achieve the US$50k bonus (or the potential US$100k bonus as I have previously achieved). At 38 I am not prepared to risk my health by attempting to make weight again under these circumstances, especially when I have done everything right.
"Given the significant let down and the shift in risk vs reward for this fight, I have made the difficult decision not to fight. The potential for injury and the impact on my reputation outweigh the now diminished rewards."
Harrison is set to fight legendary Thai Seksan Or Kwanmuang in September at ONE 168, in what he confirmed to Sportskeeda is likely to be his retirement fight. He added:
"I hope this situation brings to light the importance of accurate and fair practices in our sport. I remain committed to my training and look forward to getting back in the ring under fair conditions against Seksan in September."