Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade has done everything he possibly can to establish himself in the ONE Bantamweight World Title conversation.
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At ONE 158: Tawanchai vs. Larsen last Friday, 3 June, the Brazilian knockout specialist extended his unbeaten run to seven matches, took home a US$50,000 performance bonus, scored his third successive knockout on the global stage, and became the first man to knockout “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il.
“Wonder Boy” hasn’t been shy about how he believes he stacks up against the other competitors in the division, and he made his intentions abundantly clear following his latest triumph.
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“Before this fight, [Lineker] already knew I was the toughest challenger, I am the best bantamweight in the division, and that’s why he never chose to reply to me,” the 24-year-old revealed.
“I told him, ‘I’m going to finish Kwon, and I’m going to finish you next.’ Now he knows I’m coming for him, and there is nowhere to hide. I’m going to finish him, and maybe it’s going to be faster than how I finished Kwon.”
The brash Brazilian certainly can walk the talk, and the manner in which he earned his latest win over the #2-ranked Kwon showed just why.
Andrade troubled the Seoul native from the opening bell, and it didn’t take him long to close out the contest. Just past the one-minute mark of the first round, he uncorked a devastating liver kick that dropped his foe to the canvas.
Fabricio Andrade was certain to find a finish at ONE 158
The #4-ranked star wasn’t surprised by the outcome, though. He knew that the finish was coming one way or another.
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“On fight day, I just laid down in bed and thought of multiple ways I could finish this fight. I wasn’t surprised I knew I was going to finish him,” the Thailand-based athlete said.
“I told myself, ‘I don’t think he’ll be able to see this kick coming to the ribs. He won’t be able to defend it,’ and that’s exactly what happened. After I threw the first one in the fight, it was right on his hips and he didn’t defend it. So, I thought, ‘Yeah, I’m going to finish this guy, for sure.’”
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At this rate, the rising star is looking more and more like the man to beat in the division.
There hasn’t been any confirmation whether or not he will compete for gold next, but given his streak of wins, a five-round war versus Lineker seems inevitable.
Read More – Here’s What Is Next for the Three Biggest Winners of ONE 158