WATCH: How Thai megastar Superlek perfectly telegraphed his elbow knockout of Jonathan Haggerty at ONE 168
Superlek Kiatmoo9 has long been known as one of the most technical fighters of this generation, and that fight IQ was on full display in his Denver super fight against Jonathan Haggerty.
The reigning ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion unseated Haggerty from the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai throne with an elbow counter in the main event of ONE 168: Denver this past weekend.
Superlek cracked Haggerty with a perfectly placed elbow shot that clocked the British superstar right on the forehead and sent the packed crowd inside Ball Arena into a frenzy.
To the uninitiated, what Superlek did looked like a normal counter, but it was more than that. In a breakdown video, Instagram user Strike Like Wooder explained that Superlek perfectly calculated Haggerty's rhythm before going in for the kill.
Strike Like Wooder explained:
"People see cool-looking pad work. Which we can all agree the general looks awesome on pads. But for the ones collecting data, and doing film study, there's a tell. Haggerty has this lead-leg pullback before his entry. It's a tell/ rhythm step/ reset. He even does it when he switches into a southpaw stance. He does it when he's tired after hard rounds."
Like clockwork, Superlek saw Haggerty execute his two-step hop motion during the fight and tried to land an overhand right in the fight's opening moments. Superlek missed his initial attempt, but the second one found its target.
Haggerty once again did his hop steps before lunging in for a 1-2, a motion that Superlek already read and had a counter ready. Once Haggerty closed in, Superlek met him with a perfect elbow shot that forced referee Justin Brown to end the contest 49 seconds into the first round.
Superlek Kiatmoo9 determined to defend both belts
After his stunning American debut, Superlek Kiatmoo9 now has the lofty responsibility of defending two world titles.
Superlek said he's ready to defend both the ONE flyweight kickboxing and bantamweight world titles, and it will be up to ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong what fights he'll figure in next.
In his post-match interview alongside ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong, Superlek said:
"My next fight is up to Chatri. The flyweight division is mine. I'm ready to defend it. The bantamweight division [is] mine as well. I am ready to defend all of my territory."