“He was too eager to try and get a finish” - Superlek comments on Malaysian prodigy Johan Ghazali’s shocking loss at ONE 167

ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 was among the high-profile spectators at ONE 167 in Thailand earlier this month and came away impressed with the action.

Among those that he kept an eye on was the flyweight Muay Thai clash between Malaysian prodigy Johan Ghazali and veteran Vietnamese fighter Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, which the 17-year-old lost by unanimous decision.

At the virtual press conference for his scheduled match at ONE Friday Fights 68 on June 28, Superlek took time to share his thoughts on Ghazali's performance.

'The Kicking Machine' said:

"I want to support and encourage Johan to keep fighting. Johan is still very young, and he had less experience than Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat. I think Johan knows the mistakes he made in the fight."

He added:

"I think he was too eager to try and get a finish. His opponent had more experience and knew how to defend himself and counterattack. I give my support to Johan."

The loss was the first for Ghazali in six matches since making his ONE Championship in February last year.

Meanwhile, at ONE Friday Fights 68, Superlek will go up against fellow Thai striker Kongthoranee Sor Sommai in a flyweight Muay Thai clash, which will serve as the co-headlining contest of the event happening at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

Both fighters are currently riding impressive winning runs and are out to sustain their momentum with a victory.

ONE Friday Fights 68 is available on pay-per-view. Click here to purchase the event.

Superlek not underestimating what Kongthoranee is capable of

Superlek Kiatmoo9 has been to many battles in his long and established career and knows all too well not to underestimate his opponents. It is the same mindset he has as he heads to his marquee showdown against Kongthoranee Sor Sommai this week.

The two top strikers collide in a flyweight Muay Thai match at ONE Friday Fights 68 on June 28 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, the Kiatmoo9 Gym standout shared that Kongthoranee is as dangerous as it gets and should not be overlooked, saying:

"His power is there, you can actually see. And since he entered ONE Lumpinee since he entered ONE Championship, he's on a win streak, as you can see. So now he's very confident, and he's on top of his game. So, of course, I would see him as dangerous."

Superlek was last in action in January, where he successfully defended the ONE flyweight kickboxing world title with a unanimous decision victory over Japanese legend Takeru Segawa.