Lito Adiwang believes Stamp Fairtex getting tested in multiple sports gives her an edge over Anissa Meksen

ONE Championship strawweight fighter 'Thunder Kid' Lito Adiwang sees former two-sport world champion Stamp Fairtex having the edge in her upcoming mixed-rules showdown with Anissa Meksen.

Chiming in on the much-awaited super fight at ONE Fight Night 6 on January 13, Team Lakay stalwart Lito Adiwang said Stamp has the advantage after having been tested and being a world champion in multiple sports at a professional level.

Adiwang told the The MMA Superfan:

“The difference here is, I’d give an edge to Stamp because she got tested in an MMA match, and Muay Thai match, and a kickboxing match. That’s her edge, how she can play the game."

Watch Adiwang's interview below:

Stamp once simultaneously held the ONE atomweight world titles in Muay Thai and kickboxing.

She also won the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix and challenged reigning world champion Angela Lee last March for the division’s belt. Unfortunately, she fell short, losing by submission due to a rear-naked choke in the second round.

Meanwhile, Meksen holds over 100 wins in her illustrious career but has not competed in a professional MMA match. It will be interesting to see how ‘C18’ navigates through the MMA rounds against her Thai rival.

Stamp will get to showcase her MMA and Muay Thai skills against the French-Algerian fighter at ONE Fight Night 6 in Bangkok, Thailand. The event is live and free for North American fans with an active Amazon Prime subscription.

Adiwang, meanwhile, was originally set to make his circle return at ONE Fight Night 6 at the Impact Arena but had to pull out as he continues to recuperate from an ACL injury.

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“It’s hard to overcome this type of injury” - Lito Adiwang talks about the mental hurdles of an ACL tear

Apart from the physical pain he has had to endure in his recovery from an ACL injury, Lito Adiwang said that this episode in his career has also tested him mentally, especially during the early part of the rehab process.

The 29-year-old Adiwang injured his knee against countryman Jeremy Miado at ONE X last March, forcing him to take a loss as he was unable to continue with the match after incurring the injury in the second round.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Adiwang admitted that early on, he had mental fears as he began recovery:

“Actually, I did have some mental fear in the first few weeks. It’s hard to overcome this type of injury, especially on the mental side of things. I have never experienced anything like this before. Simple things like sitting down and standing up, tying my shoelaces, were a struggle.”

He added:

“But when the doctor told me that they completely fixed my knee and that it’s now stronger than it was before, it gave me more confidence, and I was able to overcome the fear inside of me.”

Fans of Lito Adiwang, however, will have to wait a little longer for his return to action, with the recovery of his knee hitting a snag as he continues to experience recurring pain.