A featherweight kickboxing battle for the ages is set for “ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov” on Prime Video 11, and the results will undoubtedly have implications at the top of the division.
Former king Superbon Singha Mawynn will look to kick off a run back toward the ONE featherweight kickboxing world title on home soil when he takes on Dutch-Turkish contender Tayfun Ozcan at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, June 9.
Both men are ranked in the top five of the stacked weight bracket, and a win for either athlete could earn them the next shot at reigning world champion Chingiz Allazov.
With that in mind, here’s why Superbon or Ozcan could challenge for the ONE featherweight world title next.
The case for Superbon
Superbon, the No. 1-ranked featherweight kickboxing contender, is only four months removed from his reign as the divisional king.
After defending the world title successfully, the Thai superstar fell to Allazov when the Azerbaijani-Belarusian powerhouse challenged him at ONE Fight Night 6 in January.
The loss was his first in five years, however, and his record in ONE, which includes wins over No. 2-ranked Marat Grigorian, No. 3-ranked Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, and No. 4-ranked Giorgio Petrosyan, speaks for itself.
Victory over No. 5-ranked Ozcan would complete his sweep of the top-five rankings and surely make his claim to a world title shot undeniable.
The case for Ozcan
Ozcan holds the final spot in the featherweight kickboxing rankings, but the field would open up for him if he gets past Superbon.
The 31-year-old claimed victory against German star Enriko Kehl at “ONE: Full Circle” in February 2022, and the losses he has suffered in the organization have come in competitive and entertaining battles with the sport’s pound-for-pound greats.
Ozcan pushed Sitthichai to a split decision and was far from out of place against Grigorian in his most recent bout last October.
With Grigorian now slated to be the first challenger to Allazov’s crown at ONE Fight Night 13 in August, Ozcan could land himself the next shot if he is successful at ONE Fight Night 11.
Most important of all when discussing the Dutch-Turkish striker’s chances of earning a world title shot is the fact that Superbon is the top-ranked divisional contender and former champion. So, if “Turbine” can get past him, he has championship potential, for sure.
