Former two-sport world champion Stamp Fairtex has weighed in on the highly anticipated ONE Fight Night 12 main event.
The Thai megastar’s compatriot Superlek Kiatmoo9 will do battle with dangerous contender Tagir Khalilov in the July 14 headliner, which will be broadcast live and free on Amazon Prime Video for subscribers across North America.
When asked for her analysis of the flyweight muay Thai contest, Stamp delved into what she thinks will be an intriguing stylistic matchup between the pair.
“I think Superlek has the advantage in terms of his deadly kicks. He can kick smoothly and fast,” she said.
“For Tagir, I used to watch his previous fights, and I see that his punch is something. He doesn’t only have one or two strikes, but he can punch in a nice combination.”
Khalilov has pulled off a spectacular turnaround in his last two outings in ONE.
After falling to defeat in his first and second appearances in the promotion, “Samingpri” found his groove and scored two crushing first-round knockouts over Chorfah Tor Sangtiennoi and Black Panther, respectively.
Stamp says that the resurgent Russian will make for an entertaining opponent for Superlek, and she believes his ultra-aggressive style will pose a real danger to the ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion.
“This fight will definitely be a must-watch fight. First things first: Tagir’s style is focused on offense, while Superlek’s style is to find an opening from his opponent’s attack and counter,” she said.
“This is a real game of wits. Whoever gets a clean shot first will get a chance to win. And, of course, many fans always wait to watch Superlek fight. This match is highly anticipated.”
“The Kicking Machine” has been on a magical run over the past 13 months that has seen him reel off six-straight wins – highlighted by his victory over Daniel Puertas at ONE Fight Night 6 in January to claim the flyweight kickboxing gold.
The Thai superstar has lived up to his moniker throughout his 10 wins as a ONE fighter, and his much-vaunted kicking game, Stamp says, could well be the difference when he faces Khalilov this weekend.
“I think if Superlek can kick faster and has better timing than him, I bet Superlek is going to win,” she said.
“But if he lets Tagir come to close range, Tagir probably finishes him. Anyway, I’ll cheer for Superlek, for sure.”
