By Jun Ray Navarres
Former ONE Flyweight World Champion Kairat “The Kazakh” Akhmetov has nothing but kind words to Team Lakay’s Danny “The King” Kingad ahead of their much-anticipated flyweight face-off on December 4 at ONE: Big Bang.
Akhmetov was supposed to meet Kingad in the semi final round of ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix in 2019 but unfortunately, “The Kazakh” got injured and he was replaced by Australia’s Reece McLaren which Kingad overcame.
“The King” eventually fell short against former UFC legend Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in the finals, and caused the only loss in his last eight outings.
Akhmetov was watching from the sidelines, as Kingad was making a fantastic run. After a long wait to face Kingad, he is relieved he can now finally meet “The King” in the Circle, so they can settle their unfinished business once and for all.
“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. This bout is interesting to me because we were supposed to face each other in the Grand Prix. Now, we have a chance to finish our business. I have only a good impression of him. He is a really good and worthy opponent,” said Akhmetov.
“I’m confident in all areas of my game. I’m not just a wrestler. We are ranked very high in this division, and this match is a can’t-miss for all fans. There’s a lot on the line in this one. I will do everything in my power to get my hand raised on that day. Everything else is up to the Almighty.”
After studying Kingad before their bout, Akhmetov shared his insights for the bout.
And it was leaning on the positive side for the Filipino “King”.
“He doesn’t have many holes in his game. He is a complete fighter who can strike, wrestle, and grapple well. He always has good cardio too. But me and my coach have analyzed him a lot. Everyone has some weak spots, and I will work on exploiting him when we meet,” shared Akhmetov.
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