WATCH: Joseph Lasiri lands super-clean elbows on opponent

When Rodtang defends his Muay Thai world title against Joseph Lasiri in a week’s time, he’ll have to be extra defensive in the pocket against the Italian.

ONE Championship recently posted this slow-mo video of Lasiri throwing savage elbows against Rocky Ogden in 2020. The technique and distance were perfect as the two fighters clinched, and Lasiri found the timing to throw the elbow, arching the point of the elbow to the ceiling and clocking his opponent clean on the forehead.

Check out the video below:

He won that fight by split decision, beginning the three-fight win streak that carried him to a world title shot. Joseph Lasiri has surely been sharpening his fists and elbows for next week as he challenges for the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world championship against Rodtang Jitmuangnon. In pure Muay Thai fights, Rodtang is unbeaten in ONE Championship.

Lasiri already owns the ONE strawweight Muay Thai world title, having won the belt by doctor stoppage last May against Prajanchai PK.Saenchai. 'The Hurricane' is already onto bigger things, attempting to become a two-weight world champion.

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Joseph Lasiri remembers humble beginnings before ONE Championship opportunity

Not that long ago, instead of brandishing a gold ONE Championship belt, Joseph Lasiri wielded a pizza cutter. Lasiri lives in Milan, Italy, where he worked in a pizza shop. It was only until signing with ONE Championship that Lasiri gained the freedom to quit the job and work full time.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Lasiri reflected on his gratitude to join such a large organization:

“Chatri [Sityodtong] gave us this opportunity. Because I was a fighter, I was training a lot until now. When I was working in a pizza shop, I was training a lot, when I was a part-time seller, it was very hard. Now I cannot imagine how I can do both things.”

Working part-time jobs is not uncommon for professional fighters, even at the higher levels of competition

Joseph Lasiri has been training Muay Thai since he was 17 years old, but only now has the chance to train as a full-time athlete. He trains alongside several world champions at the Punch and Kick Milano gym. Prior to signing with ONE in 2019, Lasiri won the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship at age 26.

His fight against Rodtang is the co-main event of the ONE on Amazon Prime 4 event from Singapore on November 18, which airs exclusively on Amazon Prime in US prime time. The event is live and free to North American audiences with a Prime Video subscription.

It is headlined by another champ vs. champ world title fight, as lightweight world champion Christian Lee moves up in weight to fight welterweight world champion Kiamrian Abbasov.