"We had to meet each other anyway" - Saemapetch says collision course with Nico Carrillo was bound to happen
Saemapetch Fairtex believes that his next matchup in the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai division was inevitable at some stage. The Thai veteran has become a staple of this division but a few losses in significant contests have stopped him from ever separating himself from the rest of the pack.
This is exactly what he will try to do when he returns at ONE Fight Night 23 on July 5 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
He faces surging contender Nico Carrillo who has gotten his hand raised in all three of his appearances under the ONE Championship banner, where he has proven himself to be an incredibly dangerous finisher.
This fight, considering the pedigree that both men bring to the table, could be seen as a clash of top contenders in order to decide the next title challenger.
Saemapetch spoke in a recent interview with ONE Championship about how the rankings meant that this fight would need to take place sooner or later down the line:
"I never thought about which opponent ONE would offer to me in my next fight. Looking at the rankings, we had to meet each other anyway."
Saemapetch looks to overcome one final hurdle
With all of the hype that surrounds Nico Carrillo right now, a win here for Saemapetch could finally be the win that he was missing in his career.
He recently overcame a very tough test from Mohammed Younes Rabah who forced him to be at his best for their rematch following a controversial first meeting.
The Thai veteran prevailed the second time around to set up this huge clash with Carrillo which could have massive implications for the rest of the division.
If he is able to withstand the power coming back at him from the Scottish striker who will be looking to take his head off, this could be a defining moment in his career.
ONE Fight Night 23 will air live and free in US primetime for North American viewers with an active Prime Video subscription.