“The gold is for them” - Joseph Lasiri says winning the world title is as much for his team as for himself

After starting his ONE Championship career at 0-4, very few people thought Joseph Lasiri would ever be called a ONE world champion, but today that is exactly what ‘The Hurricane’ is.

While he could take solace in the fact that he lost to some of the best Muay Thai practitioners in the world, such as Jonathan Haggerty and Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, it was not the start Lasiri envisioned for himself.

In 2020, ‘The Hurricane’ was able to turn things around, scoring three straight victories including the biggest one of his career.

At ONE 157 in May, Joseph Lasiri captured ONE Championship gold, defeating Prajanchai PK.Saenchai via third-round knockout to become the third man to hold the strawweight Muay Thai world championship.

In a recent interview with ONE, ‘The Hurricane’ dedicated the victory and the world title to his family, team, and manager who helped make it possible:

“I was very happy to bring the title home, especially for the people who work for me. So my trainer, my family, my manager, all my team, my partners in sparring who took the time for me, the gold is for them.”

On November 18, Lasiri will have the opportunity to add another ONE world title to his collection when he moves up to flyweight, challenging reigning flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon at ONE on Prime Video 4.

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Joseph Lasiri plans to play into Rodtang’s aggressive style at ONE on Prime Video 4

Rodtang Jitmuangnon is arguably the best Muay Thai fighter in the world today, living up to his ‘The Iron Man’ moniker, Rodtang has laid waste to the competition under the ONE Championship banner, defeating every man that has stepped up to him in the art of eight limbs.

Joseph Lasiri hopes to be the man to take Rodtang’s world title and believes he can do so by beating ‘The Iron Man’ at his own game:

“What is more comfortable? Fighting Rodtang [when he is moving] forward or fighting Rodtang technically? To me, I think it’s more comfortable to fight Rodtang if [he is going] forward. So, the game plan is to make Rodtang angry and then he will come to me.”

To paraphrase the popular comic book character Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk, don’t make Rodtang angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.

Joseph Lasiri’s game plan is certainly a bold move, especially against one of the most successful and aggressive fighters in ONE history. Counterstriking will likely play into Lasiri’s strength, but provoking a fighter like Rodtang usually ends in disaster for his opposition.