Veteran British striker Liam Harrison was supposed to be the one who faced ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in ONE Championship’s historic first live on-ground event in the United States last week.
‘Hitman’ made the revelation in an interview with the South China Morning Post on the sidelines of the landmark U.S. show, sharing that he was in the conversation to face Rodtang in a catchweight fight for ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video, which went down on May 5 in Denver, Colorado.
Unfortunately, Liam Harrison said, the surgery that he had to undergo for the injury he sustained in his last fight prevented him from getting the nod.
The Leeds fighter said:
“Yeah it was, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that but I have now. Yeah, that’s what we spoke about, we’re gonna mix at [catchweight] at 140. Obviously, with my surgery and stuff that couldn’t happen. But yeah I want to get me some back, so I’m back in the mix of getting off these fights again.”
Check out the interview below:
At ONE Fight Night 10, Rodtang battled and defeated Mexican challenger Edgar Tabares by knockout in the second round of their co-headlining title showdown. The Thai megastar caught Tabares with a solid elbow to the jaw after which the challenger could not continue.
Liam Harrison, meanwhile, was last in action in August last year, where he vied for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title against former champion Nong-O Hama.
His title push went south after he injured his knee following a nasty leg kick from Nong-O in the opening round. Unable to continue, he was forced to take a defeat by technical knockout.
Liam Harrison had knee surgery earlier this year and has since slowly but surely been getting back in shape. He is eyeing a return to action in the last quarter of the year.
ONE Fight Night 10 took place at the sold-out 1stBank Center in Denver. The replay of the groundbreaking event can be watched via Amazon Prime in North America.