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Fifth-ranked ONE bantamweight Muay Thai contender Liam Harrison is a true warrior who would only bow out on his own terms.
As such, there was no doubt in the 38-year-old's mind about returning from a harrowing ACL and MCL tear, which would many consider career-ending injuries, especially at his age.
The defiant 'Hitman' would rather die on his shield than retire simply because his body could no longer hold up.
However, even the strongest and most determined minds endure negative thoughts as well. For Harrison, he admitted that the grueling and lengthy recovery process almost forced him to call it quits.
The British striker shared in an interview on talkSPORT MMA:
"I was just getting to the point where I was thinking, 'Am I ever going to be able to get back to what I want? Am I going to be able to get that level of sharpness back and that ferociousness back?'"
Liam Harrison added:
"I'm training now and I've got the intensity back. It took a while and there were a few times when I definitely contemplated about retiring."
Watch the full interview:
After almost two years on the sidelines, Harrison is back to 100 percent and ready to electrify ONE audiences once more. The Bad Company standout will return at ONE 167 on June 7 against Katsuki Kitano in a three-round barnburner.
He's also scheduled to lock horns with fellow veteran Seksan at ONE 168: Denver on September 6.
Liam Harrison says he'll accept retirement if his skills deteriorate
As stubborn as Liam Harrison is, he also understands the dangers of staying in the fight game too long for people past their prime.
In less than a month, 'Hitman' promises to display his trademark aggression and knock out Kitano inside Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.
But if Harrison reckons he lost a step, he won't hesitate to walk off into the sunset. He added:
"I might think to myself after this fight, I might go, you know what I mean? If I'm not quite sharp as I should be there, I might call it a day. You never know. I might come back and I might feel absolutely amazing again like I did in my 30s."
Prime Video subscribers in North America can watch ONE 167 free as it happens live in US primetime.
