“He Hits Crazy Hard” – Luke Lessei Offers His Thoughts on Upcoming Opponent ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut

Luke Lessei will make his ONE Championship debut against a veteran he’s familiar with in just over a week. Moreover, he is approaching his upcoming bout with the utmost confidence as a result.

The American striking star will soon figure in a featherweight Muay Thai battle with ‘Smokin’ Jo Nattawut. The event will go live in U.S. primetime at ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts on Friday, December 8, at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Luke Lessei is studying his opponent

Nattawut has built a reputation for being one of the hardest-hitting fighters on the planet. In his five wins in ONE, he has won three via knockout. And with over 80 striking battles to his name, the Thai star is an intimidating foe for anyone to face.

However, Lessei believes that heavy hands should be expected in any fight. So, while he respects the man he’ll be standing opposite from in his promotional bow, he stops short of fearing him.

“I’ve been watching ‘Smokin’ Jo for a long time. I remember watching him years ago, and I was like, ‘Damn, ‘Smokin’ Jo has such a good left kick. He’s got such a great no-switch left kick.’ And he still has that kick to this day,” he told ONE in an interview.

Jo Nattawut’s striking is not a cause for concern!

Moreover, Lessei also talked about how he isn’t worried about his opponent’s striking. “Other than that, obviously, he hits hard. He hits crazy hard. But I don’t think that’s something fighters really worry about unless you’re up there with heavyweight, talking Francis Ngannou-type power. I’m not going to worry about power because everyone can hit hard.”

Though ONE Fight Night 17 will be his first appearance on the global stage, ‘The Chef’ has already seen his fair share of wars. He dominated the amateur ranks and won the Thai Boxing Association tournament 13 times before turning professional in 2020.

Read More – “It’s Going to Be a Fun Fight” – Jo Nattawut Shares How He’s Preparing for Upcoming Bout With Luke Lessei at ONE Fight Night 17

Lessei will no doubt aim to show the world how his unique style can overcome Nattawut’s vaunted power and make an immediate impact on the stacked featherweight Muay Thai division when he steps into action on December 8.