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No matter how many times his naysayers try to bring him down, Thai icon Nong-O Hama knows his own body better than anyone else. That's the reason the former bantamweight Muay Thai world champion paid no mind to those claiming that he can no longer physically compete in the highest level of the sport.
After losing his belt to Jonathan Haggerty last year, Nong-O suffered another debilitating knockout loss to Nico Carrillo, prompting some pundits to call for him to hang up the gloves.
The defiant 37-year-old, however, brushed off those claims and made it clear that he's not throwing in the towel anytime soon.
The Evolve MMA affiliate said in a recent ONE Championship interview:
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“[I don’t know] how many fights I have left. I haven’t counted them yet because my body can still take it. I will keep doing it until my body can’t take it anymore."
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Instead of calling it quits, Nong-O acknowledged that changes had to be made for him to ensure a longer career.
The Thai slugger reverted to his old calculated style in his bounce-back fight against Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai at ONE Friday Fights 58 last April.
Nong-O no longer recklessly came forward to land big shots at the expense of leaving himself open. This methodical approach helped him secure a dominant unanimous decision win.
If he continues to fight the same way, he could very well make a run for the title again.
Nong-O aware of the danger that Kiamran Nabati brings
Nong-O knows that his path to a world title shot won't be easy, especially in the stacked 145-pound Muay Thai division.
After returning to the win column, the Thai icon will battle another heavy-handed adversary who has won his first three fights in ONE.
Nong-O would love to halt Kiamran Nabati's hype train this Friday, Sept. 27, at the fabled grounds of Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. He told ONE:
"He has many strengths. He's a fighter with heavy weapons and heavy punches, and he is fast. He's good at kicking, but most importantly, he's a boxer with heavy punches."
ONE Friday Fights 81 will air live in Asian primetime via watch.onefc.com
