“There’s heavy drama and harsh comments” - Rodtang reacts to harsh fan backlash after continued weight woes
Reigning and undisputed ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion 'The Iron Man' Rodtang Jitmuangnon of Thailand was under a lot of heavy criticism last week after again failing to pass weight and hydration for his latest fight.
Rodtang ended the weigh in procedure more than six pounds above the flyweight limit for his kickboxing match against 39-year-old 'The Bosnian Menace' Denis Puric at ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II on Prime Video.
The fight pushed through in the end, with Rodtang and Puric putting on a show last Saturday, June 8th, at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
Rodtang took home a unanimous decision victory for his efforts. However, in the official ONE 167 post-event press conference backstage, an emotional Rodtang shared his rollercoaster experience leading up to the fight.
'The Iron Man' stated:
"I feel relieved right now, especially on the day I missed weight, I felt bad for myself. And then there’s heavy drama and harsh comments online, I couldn’t even pick up my phone to check on my phone again. But that’s okay. The comments took it too far, it took aim to the people I love, the people around me, and that made me really sad. But I’m relieved right now."
A replay of ONE 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II is available on-demand via Amazon Prime Video.
What's next for 'The Iron Man' Rodtang Jitmuangnon?
The flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang 'The Iron Man' Jitmuangnon has proven he is still the top dog in this division with an electric performance, despite appearing to have continued issues with professionalism.
There's no denying his otherworldly talent, and fans can't wait to see him in action again.
Rodtang is rumored to be in the works for a highly anticipated showdown with Japanese superstar 'The Natural Born Crusher' Takeru Segawa later this year. ONE Championship has confirmed that they are trying to put the fight together.
However, rematches with Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Jonathan Haggerty are also on the table.