“It will be hard for him to cope” - Anatoly Malykhin believes Rodtang’s pressure will be too much for courageous Denis Puric

Reigning three-division ONE world champion Anatoly Malykhin expects Denis Puric to struggle with the high-pressure style of 'The Iron Man' Rodtang Jitmuangnon in their highly anticipated kickboxing clash.

This Friday, June 7, ONE Championship will head back to the sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, for a stacked ONE 167 card, headlined by a massive featherweight Muay Thai world title fight between current champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai and third-ranked contender 'Smokin'' Jo Nattawut.

But first, fight fans will be treated to a massive kickboxing matchup as 'The Bosnian Menace' straps on a pair of eight-ounce gloves for a clash with Rodtang.

Offering his prediction for the impending showdown, Malykhin believes the intensity of 'The Iron Man' could be too much for Puric to deal with:

“It will be very difficult for Denis, even though he's experienced and has a lot of heart. But I think it will be hard for him to cope with the pressure Rodtang puts on—it will be very difficult.”

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Will Denis Puric's momentum turn into a big win over Rodtang at ONE 167?

Denis Puric goes into the biggest fight of his career riding an impressive two-fight win streak, including wins over Vietnamese standout Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat and Jacob Smith.

His victory against Smith at ONE Fight Night 21 thrust 'The Bosnian Menace' into the No. 2 spot in the flyweight Muay Thai rankings.

Meanwhile, Rodtang will be making his first appearance of 2024 after a hand injury sidelined him at the beginning of the year, forcing him out of a previously scheduled scrap with Japanese kickboxing icon Takeru Segawa at ONE 165 in Tokyo.

Will 'The Iron Man' score his third-career kickboxing victory under the ONE banner, or will Denis Puric parlay his momentum into the biggest victory of his combat sports career thus far?

ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 167 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 7.