For years, #2-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Denis Puric has been calling out ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon every chance he’s got.
Now, after multiple highlight-reel-worthy showings, the Bosnian-Canadian star gets his wish. He’ll collide with Rodtang under kickboxing rules at ONE 167 on Saturday, 8th June, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Impact Arena.
Puric hasn’t had everything go his way in ONE Championship, but he’s put it all on the line each time he’s stepped into action. And his last two outings have brought his dream clash into reality.
After losing to Yodlekpet in his first bout of 2023 last May, “The Bosnian Menace” knew he had to perform in his return fight against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat in December.
The seasoned finishers took centerstage in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium’s iconic ring at ONE Fight Night 17, and a high-octane, explosive encounter followed.
Puric brought the fight to Duy Nhat, as he was hungry for an emphatic response, and fists were traded. Ultimately, though, his unrelenting power and speed won out, and the 39-year-old finished his Vietnamese foe with a counter left hook midway through the second round.
The rally was on, and Rodtang was back on his radar. But “The Bosnian Menace’s” skill had to be tested one more time before he could step into Rodtang’s realm.
Enter Jacob Smith. The British banger had also featured on December’s ONE Fight Night 17 card, where he scored his first promotional win and added another stoppage to his slate against Brazilian star Walter Goncalves.
Smith had battled Rodtang to a decision loss in his ONE Championship debut 18 months earlier, so he was a perfect assignment for Puric to gauge his power for “The Iron Man.”
The contest opened up as narrowly as expected. Both men exchanged punches, and the scorecards were tight. But Puric edged ahead when he dropped Smith in the second frame, and another knockdown later on helped push him to the unanimous decision win in the end.
“The Bosnian Menace” is riding significant momentum, coming off a pair of decisive wins. But Rodtang will be a different animal for him to tame, and he’ll be fighting with his back against the wall.
The Thai superstar will be itching to remind fans just how dangerous he is after losing his Muay Thai super-fight to ONE flyweight kickboxing king Superlek Kiatmoo9 at last September’s ONE Friday Fights 34.
Adding more fuel to his fire are the multiple injuries that have plagued him recently, with one having prevented him from taking on Japanese icon Takeru Segawa this past January at ONE 165.
However, Puric has wanted this tussle for a long time, so fans can bet that he'll have all his weapons as sharp as possible for his kickboxing tie with "The Iron Man" on June 7.
