American striker Eddie Abasolo is looking to steal the show at ONE Friday Fights 22.
“Silky Smooth” faces the toughest test of his career to date when he takes on Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong in a featherweight muay Thai battle at the June 23 event, which goes down in his opponent’s backyard at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Abasolo recognizes that fighting the No. 3-ranked divisional contender on home soil is a difficult challenge, but he also sees it as an opportunity to win over the local fans.
“(In) every fight, I try to win the heart of the crowd – win, lose, or draw. I feel like the crowd will fall in love with me more than be hostile towards me,” he said.
The American striker rebounded from a debut loss to Liam Nolan last November by dominating Danish contender Niclas Larsen at ONE Fight Night 8 in March.
He scored a thrilling second-round knockout win over the No. 5-ranked fighter to get his run in the Singapore-based promotion on track and send a shockwave through the divisional ranks.
The win gave Abasolo an immense boost, but he has stayed grounded and is focusing all his energy on showcasing his skills to the global audience again this weekend.
The Californian is acutely aware that an impressive performance over Sitthichai could unlock another marquee matchup with a Thai superstar, like top-ranked contender Superbon Singha Mawynn, so he wants to leave no gaps on Friday evening.
“For me, it’s still about respect and appreciating the person standing across from me, it’s never personal. I’m just there to fight beautiful muay Thai and win the heart of the crowd,” Abasolo said.
“I feel like I will earn their respect more than anything. He’s ranked No. 3, Sitthichai. So, afterward, I feel like I’d be able to call out the No. 1.”
