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Former ONE world champion Hiroki Akimoto looks to show off a new side of himself this Friday night when he heads back to the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in his ONE Championship career—including a questionable decision loss to Wei Rui in his last outing—the second-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender will look to bounce back in a big way when he meets the promotion's former ONE flyweight kickboxing king, Ilias Ennahachi.
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Looking to show off some of the skills he couldn't put on display in his last outings, Akimoto is excited to get back into the win column and re-establish himself as one of the promotion's most feared fighters in eight-ounce gloves. Speaking to ONE Championship, Akimoto said:
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"I think I've changed in many ways overall. I've been practicing various things for this fight, but I've also corrected parts that I couldn't fully show in the last fight."
Overall, Akimoto is 26-3 with six of those victories coming under the ONE banner.
Hiroki Akimoto shares details of his training camp ahead of ONE Friday Fights 81 return
Adding some insight into his training camp ahead of his showdown with Ilias Ennahachi inside the Mecca of Muay Thai, Hiroki Akimoto revealed that cardio has been a focal point:
"Mornings are mainly focused on running [cardio], and we really do run a lot. I think I'm running more than ever before. The afternoon is mostly partner training, where we try various things and practice simulating fights."
With Ennahachi entering the bout with two knockouts and two decision victories, the Japanese superstar will have to be ready for anything that the Moroccan sensation throws his way.
Who leaves The Land of Smiles with a big win on their resume and one step closer toward a shot at reigning ONE bantamweight kickboxing world champion Jonathan Haggerty?
ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live and exclusively on pay-per-view on Friday, Sept. 27 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. You can purchase the event exclusively on the official ONE Championship website.
