“He can still punch and kick as hard as ever” - Kongthoranee believes Nong-O will retain his crushing power at flyweight

Some fighters tend to weaken after moving to a lower weight class. However, Kongthoranee Sor Sommai doesn't think that will be the case for Nong-O Hama, who will be venturing into the 135-pound Muay Thai division in less than 24 hours.

Kongthoranee will welcome his legendary compatriot to the flyweight Muay Thai ranks in the penultimate match of ONE Fight Night 28: Prajanchai vs Barboza on Prime Video.

Nong-O, of course, wreaked havoc in the bantamweight Muay Thai division, where he defended his world title seven times.

After several setbacks since losing his world title, the former 145-pound kingpin has decided to start fresh by making a run at the vacant flyweight Muay Thai throne.

While some pundits believe the 38-year-old's best days are already behind him, Kongthoranee says he cannot underestimate a true icon of the sport.

As far as the fourth-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender is concerned, Nong-O's terrifying power will likely be amplified in this new weight class. Kongthoranee told ONE:

“I think Nong-O’s decline is because he fought bigger fighters than him. That’s probably why he moved down to this division. Even though he dropped down, I believe he can still punch and kick as hard as ever.”

ONE Fight Night 28 will emanate from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The full event will air live in US primetime free for Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Kongthoranee lauds Nong-O's decision to move to flyweight

In his ONE Fight Night 28 pre-event interview with the Bangkok Post, Kongthoranee supported Nong-O's choice to fight at a lower weight class.

"I don't think it's a mistake. I think it's a good choice for him to come down to flyweight. At Bantamweight, there are a lot of big fighters, and their build is bigger than him," he said.

However, Kongthoranee warned the former bantamweight Muay Thai world champion that things won't be easy for him, considering the murderer's row of talent in the loaded 135-pound striking ranks.

The two-time Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion added:

"But I want him to know that this division is tough too."