John Lineker admits Fabricio Andrade’s boxing got the best of him: “It hurt my face a lot”

Former ONE bantamweight mixed martial arts world champion John Lineker has admitted that his inability to handle his opponent’s boxing proved to be his downfall in his previous fight.

‘Hands of Stone’ lost to fellow Brazilian Fabricio Andrade by technical knockout in the fourth round of their rematch for the vacant bantamweight world title back in February.

The 33-year-old American Top Team standout absorbed steady pounding to his face throughout the contest, leaving him unable to continue past the fourth round and slumping to the TKO defeat.

Sharing what took place last time around to ONE Championship, John Lineker said that while he was prepared to handle Andrade’s knees and kicks, he was not able to do the same with the punches of ‘Wonder Boy’ to the face the way he wanted to:

“That's when he started hitting me with a lot of jabs and direct [shots], straight blows that were hurting my face. But I was very confident to take the kicks and knees and not get knocked out by him. My body was absorbing the blows well, but it hurt my face a lot. Because I was tired, I wasn't able to dodge and get out of the jabs.”

The loss prevented John Lineker from reclaiming the title he was stripped off in his first showdown with Andrade last October after missing weight. That fight ended in a no contest.

‘Hands of Stone’ is now looking to redeem himself at ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video, happening at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok on August 4.

He will take on South Korean Kim Jae Woong in a bantamweight clash, part of the event which is available live and for free to Prime Video subscribers in North America.

John Lineker is using the fight to make another run at the world title which he got first hold of when he knocked out longtime division king Bibiano Fernandes in March last year.

Kim Jae Woong, for his part, is also looking to make a rebound after losing in his previous fight in January.