"A very good contender for fight of the year" - Denis Puric says war against "bloody good" Rodtang will be one for the books 

Denis Puric is confident that his flyweight kickboxing scrap alongside Rodtang Jitmuangnon will be one of the most epic duels on the global stage in 2024. The Team CSK athlete, known for his ultra-aggressive fight style, sees his approach as the right style for the Thai megastar, who never forgets to pack aggression and his hard-hitting fists in each of his fights.

Given how things may unfold, a war seems to be near-imminent when 'The Bosnian Menace' meets the longtime flyweight Muay Thai world champion in the co-main event of ONE 167, which takes place inside Bangkok's Impact Arena this Friday, June 7.

The Bosnian-Canadian athlete spoke at an official pre-fight interview with local Thai media to assess his duel against 'The Iron Man,' explaining why he believes this could be a contender for the Fight of the Year award.

Denis Puric shared:

"As long as I'm in shape and everything's sorted, I can perform. I can fight him. I know he's fast, he's tough, he's bloody good in his fights. So this is my kind of fight. So I believe this could be a very good contender for fight of the year."

Watch the clip here:

The 39-year-old heads into this showdown on the back of a two-match winning run under the ONE banner.

He bounced back from his TKO loss to Yodlekpet Or Atchariya with a second-round finish of Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat at ONE Fight Night 17 in December.

Then, this past April, the veteran striker picked up a decisive unanimous decision win over Jacob Smith to get his wish at long last – a chance to share the global stage alongside Rodtang.

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Denis Puric has left no stone unturned for Rodtang war

While he knows his high-octane style could leave Rodtang in a tight spot, Denis Puric sees his opponent's age and gas tank as factors that could ruin his chances at a monumental win at ONE 167.

Because of that, 'The Bosnian Menace' has added a couple more tools to his already impressive striking arsenal to ensure he comes prepared for what may come his way on fight night.

He told ONE Championship previously:

"I've prepared well. I've hired a conditioning coach this time around because I know Rodtang would bring the pressure. So I've just got to make sure I'm in the top of my shape."

North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription can catch the entire card live in U.S. primetime for free.