Ramazanov To Capitan: Behave In The Circle, Or I’ll Knock You Out
When Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov defends his ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship for the first time at ONE: UNBREAKABLE, he’ll be looking to prove that he deserves his spot at the top.
After an extended layoff, the Russian star will square off against #2-ranked contender Capitan Petchyindee Academy in the main event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, 22 January.
“I think the time [away from] fighting benefited me because I am hungrier now. I will go there and show more,” Ramazanov says.
“Since I became the World Champion, I feel in my [rightful] place. I have more motivation to train harder so the belt stays with me.
“It is very important for me. It is my belt and I’m not planning to give it away. I will go to the ring and show why it is meant to be with me.”
Ramazanov won the strap with a strong showing against “Muay Thai Boy” Zhang Chenglong at ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS in December 2019. But the COVID-19 pandemic derailed his plans to defend it in 2020, and during that time away, a new contender emerged.
Capitan, who is a reigning Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, debuted on the global stage with a record-breaking knockout of Petchtanong Petchfergus at ONE: A NEW BREED III in September. The Petchyindee Academy star knocked out his countryman in just six seconds, but “Babyface Killer” is not fazed by that historic achievement.
Instead, it makes him even more excited to face off against a rival who is at the top of his game, because the reigning king only wants to take on the toughest tests available.
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“My opponent’s last fight finished very quickly, but I am not impressed,” he offers.
“As a fighter, I am very interested in this matchup because he is a current champion. He has a big name in Thailand. He has a high rating and I’m very much interested in testing my skills against him.
“Next, I’m looking forward to facing fighters with big names like Nong-O [Gaiyanghadao] and Liam Harrison. And possibly after the next fight, I am interested in going up to featherweight to make a big statement.”
While Ramazanov is not overly worried about Capitan’s power, he praised the Thai star’s fight IQ.
“I think his strongest part is his brain. He can be very unpredictable,” the Russian says.
“He has very good skills and fighting technique. He can control the fight, and I really like this style of fighting. He can win against the greatest fighters. I think he has it all — IQ, technique, and timing.”
Of course, the defending World Champion brings plenty to the table as well. He is extremely confident in his own traits, which have carried him to the top of ONE’s world-class striking ranks.
“My strongest parts are my long arms and legs — he is shorter than me — and my superiority is my boxing skills. I have very powerful punches,” Ramazanov says.
Both men clearly own an elite repertoire and the firepower to back it up, which means their ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title clash in “The Lion City” will be an explosive affair.
But Ramazanov has an ominous warning for Capitan: If the challenger does not give “Babyface Killer” the respect a World Champion deserves, he might just set a new ONE Super Series record.
“If I like my opponent, and if he behaves well, I won’t knock him out. I will show a very good fight with him,” the Russian states.
“If he misbehaves, I’ll knock him out in five seconds – not six!”
Read more: How Muay Thai Gave Alaverdi Ramazanov A Purpose In Life
