Australian-Thai fighter Danial Williams savored the opportunity to vie for the flyweight kickboxing world title against Superlek Kiatmoo9 last year. And while he ended up losing by knockout, it was a match he had no regrets taking.
‘Mini T’ stepped in as a replacement opponent against Superlek in March last year at ONE Fight Night 8 after original foe Rodtang Jitmuangnon pulled out because of injury. Despite the short preparation, he had no qualms plunging into action against one of the top strikers in the world.
In an interview with Cageside Press, Danial Williams recalled how he wound up facing Superlek and what he felt during the fight itself, saying:
“Superlek chance, it was funny, it was like winning the lotto because I'm just like, ‘Yeah, Superlek. I want to f*****g fight him,’ and then I was telling my missus the other day, like, I reckon if I saw his last two fights, I would have may be thought a little bit differently about that decision. And I remember being in the ring when the round started it was wicked.”
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See the full interview below:
Against Superlek, apart from taking the fight on short notice, Perth native Williams also surrendered a size disadvantage.
That notwithstanding, he came out fighting. He had his moments, especially in the early goings, but they were not enough to swing the tide in his favor before he was KO’d in the third round and bowed to the defeat.
After that, he went back to familiar terrain and competed at strawweight, and challenged for the division’s kickboxing world title in October. However, he lost to champion Jonathan Di Bella by unanimous decision.
Danial Williams returns to competing in MMA
Following back-to-back unsuccessful forays in kickboxing, Danial Williams returns to fighting in MMA in his scheduled return to action this week.
The 30-year-old Kao Sok Muay Thai/Scrappy MMA affiliate will lock horns with Filipino fireball Lito Adiwang at ONE Fight Night 19 on Prime Video on February 16 in Bangkok, Thailand.
It is part of a nine-offering, happening at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and airing live in US primetime, free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Williams returns to MMA, where he has had a lot of success under ONE Championship, going 3-1 to date.
At ONE Fight Night 19, he will be up against an opponent in Adiwang, who is riding a two-fight winning run after returning from a knee injury in September.