John Lineker admits that he was a fairly rambunctious child growing up.
‘Hands of Stone’ will look to reclaim the ONE bantamweight world championship that he lost on the scale four months ago this Friday night when ONE Championship presents ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video.
Emanating from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Lineker will square off with No.1-ranked bantamweight Fabricio Andrade with 26.4 pounds of ONE gold on the line.
Before he steps into the ring for one of the biggest rematches in ONE Championship history, Lineker sat down with the promotion and divulged some interesting details about his childhood:
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“I couldn’t sit still. I spent the whole day on the street, chasing horses. I was very fond of horses. I played soccer, played hide and seek a lot. I didn’t stop for a minute. At school, I was also very hyper and a little messy [laughs]. But, thank God, my parents raised us well, even though I’m a little electric.”
John Lineker's attraction to martial arts undoubtedly helped him focus his childhood hyperactivity into becoming one of the best professional fighters in the world today. After 15 years, ‘Hands of Stone’ continues to compete at the highest level.
He’ll do so once again this Friday night as he delivers what is sure to be another can’t-miss main event.
John Lineker looks to have better movement in ONE Fight Night 7 rematch
While John Lineker escaped without a loss in his first meeting with Fabricio Andrade at ONE on Prime Video 3, things could have certainly gone better for the Brazilian heavy hitter.
Throughout the three-and-a-half round duration, Lineker struggled to find his target. Plodding forward, ‘Hands of Stone’ routinely put himself in danger of being tagged by the lengthier Andrade.
That is something Lineker hopes to correct when he steps into the ring with ‘Wonder Boy’ for Friday night's massive main event showdown.
“The strategy won't change much, but I'm improving a few things,” Lineker told Sportskeeda MMA. “I've been working on footwork, how to better move my head, and how to better shorten the distance during the fight. I'm going to keep practically the same game, only more evolved.”
Closing the distance will be key for John Lineker. If he can manage to move in and out of the pocket without taking any significant damage, ‘Hands of Stone’ stands a chance of uncorking one of his classic looping hooks that could put Andrade’s lights out in a flash.
Fans in North America can watch ONE Fight Night 7 live and for free on Amazon Prime Video with an active subscription. The event will air in U.S. primetime this Friday night, February 24.