"I'm sure this fight won't go past the first round" - Fabricio Andrade says he would finish Lineker fast

Fabricio Andrade is yet to make his return to the circle. However, he’s already predicting what a win would look like when he takes on ONE bantamweight world champion John Lineker.

Regardless, 'Wonder Boy' will first have to take care of his match against Kwon Won Il if he plans on facing Lineker down the line. The two bantamweight contenders will feature at ONE 158: Tawanchai vs. Larsen on Friday which will be broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Andrade said he’s expecting an early finish if he ever challenges Lineker for the world title. The No. 4 contender pointed out the height difference between him Lineker and how he plans on using the champion’s shorter stature to his advantage.

Andrade is listed at almost 5ft8 while Lineker is at 5ft3.

Fabricio Andrade said:

“He's a very short guy and I control the distance well. I believe I could control the distance well and use my knee to stop him. I'm sure this fight won't go past the first round. I'll knock him out or submit him in the first round.”

'Wonder Boy', who’s on a four-fight winning streak, plans to extend his ONE Championship run to five straight wins. The 24-year-old feels that if he beats Kwon, the No. 2 contender, then a title fight against Lineker is inevitable:

“For sure. After winning this fight, there will be no more doubts, they will have to give me the title shot. John Lineker will have to face me. Lineker has been ducking me for a long time, but after I beat Kwon Won Il, he'll have to face me. He had already accepted to defend the belt against Kwon Won Il and that just shows that he is a chicken and is looking for an easy fight. After I beat Kwon Won Il, it will be a pleasure to fight him and finish him in the first round.”

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Fabricio Andrade on hobbies that compliment his fighting lifestyle

While Fabricio Andrade’s fully focused on his fighting craft, there are two sports that he’s fallen in love with that have helped him develop his mindset as a fighter.

According to the Brazilian, he likes to play chess since it’s a mentally-demanding sport. 'Wonder Boy' also started following Formula 1 once he got curious about how drivers function in such a fast-paced sport.

“I like chess. I learned to play alone. I like chess because it's a game that has to use the mind a lot. You need to think hard before making any moves. So, when I have some friends here, I ask them to play chess.”

The 24-year-old added:

"One of the sports I'm watching at the moment is Formula 1 because I was interested in knowing more about how drivers' heads work. But no one in particular is a role model for me. Just having to understand how their mentality works.”