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Nong-O Hama has been at the top of the Muay Thai mountain for such a long time that he’s seen it all as a living legend of the sport.
To receive a tip of the hat from the former dominant ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion is about as high praise as you can possibly receive in this game. That being said, his previous opponent Nico Carrillo should feel a great sense of pride to get a co-sign from the man that he shared the ring with at ONE’s blockbuster final event of 2023.
The rising bantamweight contender faced the former world champion at ONE Friday Fights 46, where he looked to secure the biggest win of his career. Proving himself to be a title challenger, he stopped the Thai legend in the second round to prove his status as a threat to reigning bantamweight king Jonathan Haggerty.
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Nong-O spoke about Carrillo’s potential during an interview with ONE Championship after going toe-to-toe with him at Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
The veteran stated that the ‘King of the North’ has the world at his feet but it’s now up to him to grab hold of this opportunity with both hands:
“And I think he has a chance to reach the world title because he has really strong weapons, but it's all up to him whether he can get there or not.”
Despite another loss, Nong-O Hama isn’t at all discouraged
2023 didn’t go to plan for Nong-O as the dominant reign of the bantamweight world champion was brought to a sudden end at ONE Fight Night 9.
After suffering a first-round knockout loss to Haggerty, the former titleholder looked to rebound against Carrillo. Unfortunately, he was finished in back-to-back fights.
Facing adversity is where the vast experience of the Thai legend comes into play as he’s able to draw on all the lessons that he has picked up throughout his career.
As he looks to change his fortunes in 2024, he is still motivated to reclaim his throne at the top of the division after two difficult big setbacks.
ONE fans who missed out or want to relive any of the action from ONE Friday Fights 46 can watch the entire event back via the on-demand replay available at watch.onefc.com
