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The short-notice call-up from ONE Championship for the interim featherweight world title match with fellow top contender Ilya Freymanov was willingly accepted by former ONE featherweight world champion Thanh Le.
This is going to be a pivotal matchup for the Le as the 38-year-old wants to use it as a launching pad to obtain another world title shot against reigning ONE featherweight world champion Tang Kai, who previously defeated him in their first meeting.
The two will headline ONE Fight Night 15 on October 6 inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
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Le recently spoke to FTSMM, an Australian combat sports media outlet, for an interview on their YouTube channel, and the American-Vietnamese fighter is more than ready to face the Russian rising star.
He also stated that he hopes that Freymanov is also all-out in his preparation because if not, he will present him with a few surprises.
The 50/50 and MidCity MMA representative said:
“It's been a really good short camp so far but we're at that place right now, where I feel like my weapons are sharp, sharp. My decision-making is in the right place, so I feel really good about the matchup.”
“I think we've got a lot of places that the fight could go. So, if he's not prepared, I think there'll be a few surprises for him.”
Prior to losing his world title to the Tang Kai via unanimous decision in August 2022, Le was an undefeated fighter in the world’s largest martial arts organization, where he knocked out all of his opponents – Yusup Saadulaev, Kotetsu Boku, Ryogo Takahashi, Martin Nguyen, and Garry Tonnon.
If Le gets the job done against Freymanov, he will get an outright shot against the Chinese world champion and set up a gigantic world title unification match.
ONE Fight Night 15 will emanate from the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this Friday. The entire event airs live in U.S. primetime free of charge for Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America.
