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Denis Puric doesn't plan to be sidelined for an extended period following his unanimous decision kickboxing loss against Rodtang.
Earlier this month, 'The Bosnian Menace' came up short in a Fight of the Year contender against the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion. Puric went toe-to-toe against Rodtang for three rounds of non-title kickboxing action at ONE 168, with both fighters absorbing plenty of damage.
During an interview with Sportskeeda, Puric discussed his future by downplaying any timeframe for retirement. The 39-year-old also had this to say about wanting to fight again sooner rather than later:
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"I can't wait to be back. I can't wait to be back stronger and better than before as I do every time. It's the fire, that's the fire that I have burning in me, man, for this fight game. I was born for this."
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Rodtang vs Denis Puric was one of several entertaining matchups at ONE 167. The replay of the June 7 event can be seen for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Watch Puric's previously mentioned Sportskeeda interview below:
Potential opponents for Denis Puric's return
Denis Puric is expected to return to the ONE flyweight Muay Thai division where he's currently ranked number two. 'The Bosnian Menice' is riding momentum in the division after defeating Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat (second-round knockout) and Jacob Smith (unanimous decision).
Firstly, Puric could compete in a new matchup against number four-ranked Dedduanglek TDed99 or number five-ranked Elias Mahmoudi. Dedduanglek is coming off a loss in the division against Nakrob Fairtex, while Mahmoudi defeated Edgar Tabares by first-round knockout last time out.
Meanwhile, ONE Championship might be interested in booking a rematch between Puric and Smith. The first fight in April was filled with controversy, including potential misjudged knockdowns and controversial scorecards.
The options are endless for Puric's next fight, as the promotion could also give an unranked fighter a massive opportunity.
