‘I’ll Win By Knockout’ – John Lineker Promises Nonstop Aggression In Kickboxing Debut Against Hiroki Akimoto
Former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John “Hands of Stone” Lineker will continue his journey into the world of elite striking on March 23 at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang.
This time, the hard-hitting Brazilian superstar will make his kickboxing debut against former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto at the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
The matchup comes after Lineker’s electrifying three-fight run in Muay Thai that saw him knock out world-class strikers Asa Ten Pow and Alexey Balyko before suffering a narrow and contentious decision loss to decorated Thai veteran Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai.
The 34-year-old will now trade in the 4-ounce gloves of ONE Muay Thai for the larger kickboxing gloves as he aims to make waves in yet another combat sport.
Renowned for his shocking punching power, granite chin, and brawling style, Lineker didn’t hesitate in accepting the fight against Akimoto, who is currently the #4-ranked bantamweight kickboxing contender.
He told onefc.com:
“It wasn’t really in my plans to do a kickboxing fight, but I’m a fighter, and I’m ready for any fight. Like I said, I like to test myself, so it will definitely be a great test once again.
“I’m very happy and excited, and we’ll see what happens with this fight. I’m preparing a lot. I’m very focused, and we’ll see if after this fight we can continue to do other kickboxing fights.”
From facing some of the planet’s best Muay Thai fighters to now meeting a former ONE Kickboxing World Champion, Lineker is being thrown from the frying pan into the fryer against another top opponent.
He knows that Akimoto, with his crafty footwork and speedy movement, represents a tricky challenge.
Still, “Hands of Stone” plans to approach the fight with the same forward-marching, boxing-oriented attack that he’s employed throughout his martial arts career:
“We have very different styles. My game is more of a boxing game, where I try to shorten the distance and land blows from close range.
“His style is faster. He’s a guy who doesn’t stand still in front of his opponent. He reacts quickly and throws punches. It’s a very different style from mine.”
Despite his proven success against top-flight Muay Thai fighters, Lineker is still a rookie in the professional striking game.
With that in mind, he admitted that he learned an important lesson in his loss to Kulabdam. Although Lineker scored a knockdown early in that bout, he fatigued in the second and third rounds and ultimately dropped the judges’ decision.
He’s confident that he won’t make the same mistake at ONE 172 and vowed to chase the knockout for every second of the battle:
“I always fight to knock out my opponents. I’m a guy who doesn’t like to leave the fight in the hands of the judges, as happened in my last fight against Kulabdam. It was left in the hands of the judges, and it ended up being a very bad result, even though I believed I was winning the fight.
“So, I’m going to look for the knockout all the time, in every round. My prediction for this fight is that I’ll win by knockout.”
Lineker Feels Ready To Fight Under Any Rule Set
As he prepares for his hotly anticipated kickboxing debut at ONE 172, John Lineker is keeping his mind open to whatever the future may hold – whether that’s more Muay Thai fights, another kickboxing bout, or a return to MMA, where he is the bantamweight division’s #1-ranked contender.
Had he earned the decision against Kulabdam last time out, he could have staked a claim for a top-five ranked opponent or even a World Title shot, but the loss sent him back to the drawing board.
No matter the sport, the Brazilian is simply thrilled to compete against the best of the best:
“I was getting really excited about the Muay Thai fights and was thinking about a possible title shot, but I think with this loss, which I thought was a bit unfair, it ended up affecting my title run.
“Of course, my focus is MMA, but the fights I was doing were getting me really excited. When we’re winning, we get really excited, right? But let’s see what happens. Now I want to move on and see what the future holds for me.”
If he defeats Hiroki Akimoto on March 23, Lineker will likely find himself in the bantamweight kickboxing top-five rankings and immediately knocking on the door of a crack at gold.
However, he’s not looking that far ahead yet. Always the entertainer and a fighter to his core, “Hands of Stone” feels ready for any opponent in any combat sport:
“I’m a fighter. I’m always ready. I want to fight Muay Thai again. I want to do other kickboxing fights and also these super-fights under special rules. I’m ready to fight, no matter what modality, I’ll accept it. I like challenges. I like to be fighting, and wherever ONE Championship puts me, I’ll be ready.”
