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MANILA, Philippines – Kairat Akhmetov of Kazakhstan and Filipino mixed martial arts (MMA) star Danny Kingad will finally meet in ONE: Big Bang, more than a year since they were due to fight in the semi-finals of the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix.
Kingad and Akhmetov were set to meet in August 2019 at ONE: Dawn of Heroes, but Akhmetov suffered an injury that forced him to drop out of the flyweight grand prix. Reece McLaren took his place and Kingad won that fight by unanimous decision to reserve his spot in the final.
The Filipino gave a good account of himself in the Grand Prix final against Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson before losing by unanimous decision.
Now fully healthy, Akhmetov is excited to address the unfinished business against Kingad, whom he fully respects as an opponent.
“Danny is a very interesting fighter with a big heart and a strong will to win. He is a very explosive and well-rounded athlete,” Akhmetov said.
“This fight is interesting to me because we were supposed to meet in the Grand Prix. Now, we have the opportunity to finish our matter. I just have a good impression of him. He is a really good and worthy opponent.” added.
Kingad brings a 14-2 record to the fight, with his only losses to Johnson in 2019 and Adriano Moraes in November 2017. Akhmetov, a former ONE flyweight world champion, has a 23-2 win-loss list. .
They are scheduled to meet on the ONE: Big Bang undercard on December 4 at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
After losing to Johnson, Kingad bounced back with a decision win over Wei Xie at ONE: Fight and Fury in January. Akhmetov is well aware of the Kingad’s caliber and admits that the Filipino “doesn’t have many holes in his game.”
“He’s a complete fighter who can hit, fight and grip well. He always has good cardio too,” Akhmetov said of Kingad. “But my coach and I have analyzed it a lot. We all have some weak points, and I will work to exploit it when we meet.”
“I am confident in all areas of my game,” the Kazakh fighter also said. “I’m not just a fighter.”
He anticipates an exciting fight against Kingad, especially as they are competing for a position in the flyweight rankings. Kingad is currently in second place, just behind Johnson, while Akhmetov is in third place.
“We are ranked very high in this division, and this match is a must see for all fans,” said Akhmetov. “The stakes are high in this one.”
“I will do everything in my power to raise my hand that day.”
ONE: Big Bang is the first of the live events ONE Championship offers in December. The main event features a showdown between ONE world light heavyweight kickboxing champion Roman Kryklia from Ukraine and challenger Murat “The Butcher” Aygun from the Netherlands.
Related video:
mixed martial arts, MMA, ONE Championship, ONE: Big Bang, Danny Kingad, Kairat Akhmetov
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