"I love a good chess match" - Luke Lessei sees similarities between him and ONE Fight Night 24 foe Bampara Kouyate

American Muay Thai artist Luke Lessei is going to have a difficult matchup ahead of him at ONE Fight Night 24. This Friday, July 5, 'The Chef' will take on fellow featherweight Muay Thai striker Bampara Kouyate, in a thrilling three-rounder at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The two rising stars share a lot of similarities between them. One of them, as Lessei pointed out, is their calculated Thai fighting style called muay femur, which means that technique and a high fight IQ are their biggest strengths.

Speaking to ONE, 'The Chef' explained:

"But this guy, Bampara Kouyate, he's like 6-foot-2, same height as me, a muay femur. So he's technical. He likes to wait, counter, set up techniques, and that's the same as me. I love a good chess match."

Luke Lessei is currently 1-1 since he joined the ONE ranks in late 2023. He arrived highly recommended for his entertaining fighting style and solid boxing combinations at close range.

In his last outing, 'The Chef' surprised fellow American striker Eddie Abasolo with a never-surrender attitude until edging the win via split decision. With bulldog determination, Luke Lessei is equally ready to face anything Kouyate may have in store for him.

ONE Fight Night 23 airs live free of charge in North America for Prime Video subscribers

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WATCH Luke Lessei unloads his punching power during heavy bag workout session

28-year-old Luke Lessei looks unbelievably sharp in his latest workout session on Instagram. The man who has always practiced technique over power looked more intimidating than ever as he demonstrated his favorite punching combinations on a heavy bag.

Delivering crisp shots, as well as some of his best body shots, Luke Lessei looks like he's ready to do some real damage to his Muay Thai foe.

In the caption, Lessei cheekily wrote the following message:

"You got a bagwork buddy?"