Walter Goncalves Plans To Test Aliff’s Chin In ‘New Chapter’ At Strawweight
Former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title challenger Walter “Iron Hands” Goncalves is determined to prove he’s a contender in the talent-packed strawweight Muay Thai division.
On November 8 in U.S. primetime at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug, the Brazilian knockout artist will take on young Thai-Malaysian phenom Aliff Sor Dechapan in a pivotal clash at the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
A veteran of more than 70 professional striking bouts – including a razor-thin decision loss to longtime flyweight titleholder Rodtang Jitmuangnon in his promotional debut – Goncalves has struggled to win consistently in ONE’s flyweight Muay Thai division, going 1-4 against truly elite competition.
“Iron Hands” knows his back is against the wall but hopes to find a new lease on his career at strawweight. He also knows that Aliff, with his dynamic and unpredictable kicking game, represents a dangerous challenge.
Still, Goncalves told onefc.com that he’s confident he can test the 20-year-old’s durability:
“Aliff’s strong points, without a doubt, are his head kicks and flying knees. I have to be very careful not to be surprised.
“His weak point is his chin. When he takes a clean blow to the chin, he loses his fighting base a little. And that’s what I’m going to do to him. I’m going to hit his chin to build my victory.”
Before joining the world’s largest martial arts organization, Goncalves had earned the reputation of a heavy hitter and ruthless finisher.
He says he still has plenty of show-stopping power – and he trusts that it will carry over to strawweight and return him to winning ways:
“What makes me better in this fight is that, even though I’m very small, I hit very hard. I have heavy hands, and I know I have much more strength than him.
“I believe that my biggest advantage in this fight will be my power, as well as my striking and my desire to win again. I really need it, and I will come out of this fight with the victory.”
Indeed, after losing two flyweight Muay Thai fights in a row, “Iron Hands” feels like he’s now in a must-win situation.
He admits that Aliff is a talented star on the rise who boasts impressive victories over top-flight competition but insists he’s primed to start fresh with an impressive performance:
“Aliff throws a lot of random punches, which makes his style quite dangerous. He likes to throw flying knees and often surprises his opponents. I think these are the qualities that make him a dangerous guy.
“Besides, he has already faced very good opponents. He has good momentum, so he is motivated. My momentum may not be positive, but I am very motivated to be fighting in my weight division and starting a new chapter in my career at ONE.”
Goncalves Feels Comfortable With Drop Down To Strawweight
If everything goes as planned, Walter Goncalves’s move to strawweight should be a seamless and easy transition.
He expects to flourish in his new division, particularly because strawweight has traditionally been his natural weight class:
“I’ve actually always fought in the strawweight division, but in ONE, I was fighting a weight class above my own. In the flyweight division, I thought my opponents were stronger and heavier, so I decided it was time to go back to fighting in the strawweight division, where I always felt stronger.
“I hope to do well in this new division at ONE and achieve everything on this new journey that I am starting in the organization.”
There’s no doubt the 26-year-old has the skills, fight IQ, and punching power to be a legitimate contender in the strawweight Muay Thai division, but he’ll first have to hit his mark on the scale.
Goncalves says that, of course, he’s placed more focus on his diet in preparation for ONE 169 – but that’s a small price to pay on his quest for greatness:
“Since I was fighting in a heavier division, I didn’t need to diet. So, I think the biggest difficulty for me at the moment is the diet.
“This process of losing weight is difficult and also affects training, as sometimes we feel weaker. This is an annoying part, but it is normal. It is part of our job.”
