“Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win” – Muay Thai icon Nong-O says back-to-back defeats will motivate him to work harder

Despite suffering his second-straight knockout loss, Thai legend Nong-O Hama is determined to keep working and bounce back.

Stepping into the legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium for a showdown with Scottish standout Nico Carrillo, the former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion was dead set on getting back into the win column following a brutal first-round defeat at the hands of Jonathan Haggerty eight months prior.

Sadly, things did not go Nong-O’s way as the 37-year-old superstar found himself down and out after eating a vicious elbow from the ‘King of the North’ in the second round of their showdown in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking with Mitch Chilson immediately following the bout, the ex-champ was understandably dejected, but that won’t stop him from working even harder for his return in 2024.

“I want to say thank you everyone here for the support. Thank you, my team. We worked hard together for this fight, but nevermind. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win, but I can learn. I’ll see you again next time!”

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Is Nico Carrillo ready for a title shot following his second-round destruction of Nong-O?

ONE Friday Fights 46 saw the rise of Nico Carrillo from prospect to bonafide contender with his third-straight victory under the ONE Championship banner. After finishes against Furkan Karabag and Muangthai PK.Saenchai, Carrillo more than earned his opportunity to take on a big name like Nong-O.

Now that he has proven himself against one of the best Muay Thai strikers of all time, Nico Carrillo could be teed up for his first shot at a ONE world title. In his post-fight interview, the ‘King of the North’ sent a word of warning to reigning bantamweight champ Jonathan Haggerty, setting up a potential clash between two of the UK’s brightest stars in the sport. He said:

“Obviously, beating Nong-O would put me down arguably as one of the best foreign Muay Thai fighters ever, apart from Haggerty, which is also in my mind. Then it’s off to him to prove who the best ever foreign Muay Thai fighter is in history. Is it me or is it Haggerty?”

Who do you see coming out on top if Nico Carrillo’s next fight is against ‘The General’?

If you missed any of the action or want to relive an epic night in ONE Championship history, the ONE Friday Fights 46 replay can be watched on demand via watch.onefc.com