“He might face issues” - Kiamrian Abbasov says Christian Lee could have problems filling welterweight frame

Kiamrian Abbasov is not convinced that Christian Lee will walk into their ONE on Prime Video 4 contest with the same explosiveness that he exhibits in the lightweight division.

Lee will seek his second ONE world championship when he challenges Kiamrian Abbasov for the welterweight crown. Already on his second reign as the lightweight king, Lee will take a significant step up in weight to challenge Abbasov, something the Kyrgyzstani-Russian fighter believes may be a big mistake.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Abbasove said:

“He might face issues after he gains weight and will no longer be an explosive fighter. I think he has a lot of work to do in terms of physique and to try and overcome me physically. This is a different weight category with very different rules.”

With all due respect to Kiamrian Abbasov, there is no difference in the actual rules between lightweight and welterweight, but his point remains valid. A bigger opponent may be operating at a different speed and power than what the Singaporean-American is used to.

Christian Lee’s strength is his speed. That speed has allowed Lee to establish himself as the most prolific finisher in ONE Championship history at just 24 years old. However, the extra weight Lee will be carrying in his move to welterweight could very well slow down the speedy superstar and hinder his explosiveness.

Whether or not that’s the case is anyone’s guess, but fortunately for fans, their ONE on Prime Video showdown is right around the corner. The event will air live and free in U.S. primetime for Amazon Prime Video subscribers this Friday night.

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Former lightweight world champion believes Christian Lee will struggle with size of Kiamrian Abbasov

Former ONE lightweight titleholder Eduard ‘Landslide’ Folayang believes Christian Lee could struggle with Kiamrian Abbasov’s size when the two lock horns on November 18. In an interview with ONE Championship, Folayang said:

“I think Abbasov’s size advantage will be a huge factor going into the fight. Of course, Abbasov is a natural welterweight. Christian Lee, we all know, always wants to showcase his skills whenever he fights. He’s an incredible striker and a great grappler, but Abbasov is a specialist on the ground so this will be a great matchup.”

‘Landslide’ continued:

“I think Abbasov’s size advantage will be a huge factor going into the fight. Of course, Abbasov is a natural welterweight. Christian Lee, we all know, always wants to showcase his skills whenever he fights. He’s an incredible striker and a great grappler, but Abbasov is a specialist on the ground so this will be a great matchup.”