Jacob Smith says he’ll “win by whatever is necessary” when he takes on Rodtang for vacant flyweight Muay Thai throne

British striker Jacob Smith said he is going for broke when he makes a push for the now-vacant ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title against esrtwhile champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on Nov. 8 in Thailand.

Initially scheduled to be a title defense by 'The Iron Man,' the contest has left Smith as the lone fighter eligible to win the belt after Rodtang was stripped of the title for missing the 135-pound limit twice during the official weigh-in and hydration tests. The Thai superstar came in at 135.5 pounds each time.

Notwithstanding the recent development, Jacob Smith has already made his intentions known that he would be doing whatever it takes to be crowned as the new flyweight Muay Thai king.

He told the Bangkok Post in an interview:

"Look, I'll win by whatever is necessary to win. All I'm saying is, I'm one hundred percent coming to win this belt."

Watch the interview below:

The Rodtang-Smith match at ONE 169 is a rematch of the first encounter between the two in May 2022 in a ONE flyweight Muay Thai world grand prix quarterfinal match, which the Jitmuangnon Gym standout won by unanimous decision.

ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug will take place at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok and air live and for free in U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

---

Jacob Smith confident of shored-up skill set for Rodtang rematch

Jacob Smith believes he is a much-improved fighter since his first encounter with Rodtang Jitmuangnon two years ago. He is confident that his shored-up skill set will tow him to victory in their rematch this week.

The Englishman will try to exact payback on the Thai superstar at ONE 169 on Nov. 8 in Thailand after absorbing a loss by decision in their first encounter in May 2022. He is banking on his more developed game in seeing his cause through.

Smith told Violent Money TV in an interview:

"I'm super confident. I'm always confident. I always have been. More so, skill, movement, fight IQ, there's a little bit of finesse to me. There'a little bit more why's and when's if that makes sense."

Rodtang was stripped of the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title for missing weight in the weigh-ins, leaving the championship belt now vacant. If 'The Iron Man' wins at ONE 169, the flyweight title remains vacant, but if Smith wins he is crowned champion.