WATCH: Nico Carrillo puts in the final polish in his training camp for Bangkok showdown against Saemapetch
No. 1 ranked bantamweight Muay Thai contender Nico Carrillo is putting the finishing touches on his fight camp ahead of a highly anticipated return to the Circle this Friday night.
Stepping back under the bright lights of Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on July 5, the 'King of the North' will look to land another highlight-reel knockout seven months removed from his epic come-from-behind KO of former ONE world champion Nong-O Hama at ONE Friday Fights 46.
This time around, Nico Carrillo will face another tough test from Thailand when he meets 127-win veteran Saemapetch Fairtex.
With fight night closing in, the Scottish standout was spotted on social media putting the finishing touches on his fight camp.
Making his promotional debut a little more than a year ago, Carrillo has scored three straight finishes against Kurkan Karabag, Muangthai PK Saenchai, and the aforementioned Nong-O. Those wins have been good enough to put him into the top spot in the bantamweight Muay Thai rankings.
If Carrillo can defend that spot against Saemapetch inside the Mecca of Muay Thai, there will be no denying he is the next man in line to challenge reigning division champion Jonathan Haggerty.
Saemapetch ready to snap Nico Carrillo's streak and book his own ONE world title shot
Getting the win will be much easier said than done as he faces one of Thailand's most exciting strikers on home turf. Saemapetch has nearly five times the experience of Nico Carrillo and has tested himself against some of the best in the business, including Alaverdi Ramzanov, Nong-O, current ONE world champion Tawanchai, and one-time title challenger Felipe Lobo.
Saemapetch currently sits at No. 4 in the bantamweight rankings. If he can hand the 'King of the North' his first loss inside the Circle, the Thai will likely skyrocket himself to the top of the rankings, setting the stage for a future clash with Jonathan Haggerty.
Who comes out on top and stakes their claim to a shot at 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE Fight Night 23 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, July 5.