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ONE heavyweight Muay Thai world champion Roman Kryklia is not taking challenger Lyndon Knowles lightly in their scheduled title clash this week in Thailand. He is fully aware that the British fighter has the experience and skill set to get the job done if allowed to do his thing.
The Ukrainian juggernaut is set to defend his Muay Thai gold against Knowles at ONE Fight Night 30 on April 4. It will be the headlining contest of the event happening at Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Roman Kryklia shared his thoughts on his opponent Knowles, including the latter's strong suits he should take note of.
The 33-year-old Krasnograd native said:
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“His pressure. He eats up space and closes distance fast. To counter that, I’ll rely on experience, movement, distance control, and reading his intentions.”
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The match at ONE Fight Night 30 will mark the first time that Kryklia, who is also the light heavyweight kickboxing king, will defend the heavyweight Muay Thai gold he claimed in December 2023.
In Knowles, 38, meanwhile, Roman Kryklia is being challenged by a newcomer in ONE Championship but not short in experience, having competed and won in various organizations, including the WBC.
ONE Fight Night 30: Kryklia vs. Knowles is available for free to North American fans with active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Roman Kryklia proud to represent the best of Ukraine's striking scene
Roman Kryklia is proud to represent Ukraine's striking scene on a global stage. It is something he said that keeps him going and motivated to separate himself from the other fighters back home.
He shared this in the same interview with ONE Championship, citing how he takes special pride in competing at high-level Muay Thai and kickboxing matches against the top fighters in the world.
“It’s something I’m deeply proud of. Not many Ukrainian fighters make it to the highest level in Muay Thai or kickboxing, even though both sports are popular back home."
Roman Kryklia has been competing in the striking arts for over a decade now and has had great success, compiling a 50-7 professional record. For the last six years, he has been parading his wares in ONE Championship, undefeated in six matches while becoming a world champion in two sports and divisions.
