‘I Just Wanted To Finish The Fight Beautifully’ – Superlek Reflects On TKO Win Over Khalilov
Superlek Kiatmoo9’s stunning run of form continued with a second-round stoppage of Tagir Khalilov in the ONE Fight Night 12 on Prime Video main event last Friday.
The Thai superstar battered his Russian foe with every strike in his arsenal to earn the TKO in their flyweight Muay Thai tilt at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, but his elbows sealed the deal to halt the surging “Samingpri.”
Khalilov looked dangerous and unpredictable in the opening frame of their battle in Bangkok, Thailand, but Superlek was never fazed, instead using his experience and composure to overwhelm his powerful foe.
Combining in-fight analysis with his prior research, “The Kicking Machine” opened up the taps in round two to earn his ninth straight win and his third straight finish.
Reflecting on his performance, Superlek said:
“I watched Tagir’s fights extensively before this fight and I prepared my strategy. It wasn’t just using the elbows. I was determined to damage his body, so I’m very happy that it went according to plan.
“In the first round, I was mostly just watching Tagir fight to see his movement. I noticed he had a lot of head movement so I changed my movement in order to counter that. In the second round, I landed my elbows, and the referee decided to stop the fight.
“My plan was just to finish the fight by knockout or TKO. I just wanted to finish the fight beautifully and show the people the art of Muay Thai.”
The reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion and #1-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender was elated when the fight was waved off, even offering up a dance before jumping on the ropes to celebrate.
While he’s not normally the go-to ONE athlete for post-fight dance moves, Superlek couldn’t contain himself after notching another huge win in front of his Thai compatriots.
He explained:
“That celebration truly came from the happiness that I felt in my heart. I was really relieved that I wasn’t a disappointment to any fans that had come to support me.
“I’m really happy that they were here or watching on TV and they could watch me defeat my opponent like that.
“I’d like to give a big thanks to all my fans and supporters. I will try to be better every day and try to improve my skills to show everyone.”
Superlek Eager To Face Haggerty Or Takeru Next
Given his high standing in both the flyweight kickboxing and flyweight Muay Thai divisions, Superlek Kiatmoo9 has plenty of high-profile potential matchups on the table.
“The Kicking Machine” is excited about the opportunities in front of him, and he can’t wait to perform for the global fan base again in either rule set.
He said:
“My plan is to keep my kickboxing belt, keep being the champion of my division. And also, I would like more and more chances to show people my Muay Thai skills.”
It seems like a challenge of reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon is inevitable, but Superlek is eyeing a pair of other elite strikers.
“The Kicking Machine” would welcome bouts with ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty and kickboxing sensation Takeru Segawa – both of which would be massive.
He added:
“I would like to face Haggerty because he’s a good fighter and today he’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten tougher, so I would like to face the very best version of him.
“Of course, I would love to face Takeru. Why not? I would like to face anyone who’s strong. Maybe even better than me to improve my skill.”
