MANILA – ONE Championship stalwart Lito Adiwang is setting his sights to take on reigning Muay Thai flyweight champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon.
The rising Filipino mixed martial arts (MMA) star of Team Lakay has been open about trying his luck at ONE's kickboxing arm ONE Super Series, and now he wants a clash with the Thai champ to happen.
"Me against Rodtang shouldn’t just be a fantasy, it should be a reality. I respect Rodtang a lot. I love the way he fights and the energy that he brings into the arena. I really respect him as a true fighter and a real champion," Adiwang said on Wednesday.
While he respects Jitmuangnon's "demolition style" of play, Adiwang believes he has what it can take to beat him for the Muay Thai belt.
"I think he has trouble when an opponent is good at countering and keeping the distance. He sometimes has difficulty landing when an opponent is elusive," Adiwang, a former wushu sanda champion, added.
If ONE books an Adiwang-Jitmuangnon showdown, Adiwang said, "I will do my best to shock the world. I want to prove to the world that even an ordinary boy can do extraordinary things if he just believes in himself, puts in the work, and dedicates himself to achieving his goals. I want that fantasy matchup to become a reality."
Adiwang said his focus is on his MMA career right now, but if Jitmuangnon makes the jump instead, Adiwang is open to becoming his first MMA opponent.
"If he ever plans to try MMA, I would love to be the one to welcome him into our world," Adiwang said. (PNA)
