Joshua Pacio says Mansur Malachiev cannot sleep on Bokang Masunyane’s athleticism: “That’s where he truly stands out”

ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio advised Mansur Malachiev not to overlook Bokang Masunyane's athleticism.

Earlier this year, Pacio suffered a significant knee injury while training, giving other strawweights an opportunity to strengthen their presence in the title picture.

Former undisputed king Jarred Brooks defeated Gustavo Balart for the interim strap, and two ranked contenders are scheduled to square off next month.

On October 4, number two-ranked Masunyane and number five-ranked Malachiev will square off at ONE Fight Night 25. During an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, the reigning world champion, Joshua Pacio, had this to say about Masunyane's athleticism being a factor in the upcoming matchup:

"He can strike effectively on his feet and grapple extensively on the ground. But don’t underestimate his athleticism — that’s where he truly stands out.”

Heading into ONE Fight Night 25, Bokang Masunyane is coming off consecutive wins against number four-ranked Hiroba Minowa and Keito Yamakita.

Meanwhile, Mansur Malachiev defeated Yosuke Saruta in his latest appearance to bounce back from his lone promotional loss against Joshua Pacio.

ONE Fight Night 25 goes down inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The October 4 event can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.

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Could Mansur Malachiev or Bokang Masunyane be next in line for Joshua Pacio?

Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks have unsettled business after the latter lost his strawweight MMA world title due to disqualification.

Brooks also holds a win against Pacio from late 2022, making the series even at one apiece.

There's still an opportunity for Mansur Malachiev or Bokang Masunyane to be Joshua Pacio's next opponent.

Firstly, either fighter could secure a quick and impressive win at ONE Fight Night 25, giving them an opportunity to challenge Brooks for his interim strawweight MMA world title later this year.

And if they could power themselves to a win over Brooks, the divisional king could have a new test altogether when he's back to full fitness approximately by the start of next year.