“He's my best fighting friend” - Roman Kryklia sums up his unbreakable bond with fellow world-class striker Chingiz Allazov

ONE heavyweight Muay Thai world champion Roman Kryklia had topnotch striker Chingiz Allazov in his corner for his match last week in Thailand. He said it was a testament to the special bond he has developed with the former featherweight kickboxing king.

'Chinga' was part of the team that saw the Ukrainian powerhouse successfully defend his Muay Thai gold at ONE Fight Night 30 on April 4 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. The reigning champion scored an impressive first-round knockout victory over challenger Lyndon Knowles of the United Kingdom.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Roman Kryklia spoke about the presence of Allazov at ONE Fight Night 30 and the bond he has with him, sharing:

"He's my best fighting friend. We understand each other very strongly. And you know, you can know everything about you, about training sessions, but it's very important to hear someone from the side and some advice from other people."

Check out what he had to say below:

Allazov was last in ONE action in August 2023, successfully defending the featherweight kickboxing world title by decision against Armenian rival Marat Grigorian. He, however, decided to step away from the game last year, concluding his three-year run in ONE Championship with a 5-1 win-loss card.

Meanwhile, the win at ONE Fight Night 30 was the first successful defense of Kryklia of the heavyweight Muay Thai world title he won in December 2023.

The full replay of ONE Fight Night 30 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Roman Kryklia hopes next opponent will give him a tougher challenge

Roman Kryklia has been on an impressive winning roll since joining ONE Championship in 2020 that has seen him dominate the competition with fast knockout victories. While he is proud with what he has achieved, he said the true fighter that he is longs to be tested tougher, something he hopes to get in his next matches.

He made this known during the post-fight interview session for ONE Fight Night 30, saying:

"Give me some chances to show you my skills, because my last fights, it did not last for more than one, two rounds."

Of the seven victories that Roman Kryklia has so far in ONE Championship, six of them came by way of knockout inside two rounds, including at ONE Fight Night 30 against Lyndon Knowles, which earned him a $50,000 performance bonus.