ONE Bantamweight World Champion John “Hands Of Stone” Lineker wants to show the world why he is the divisional king in his upcoming fight.
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The Brazilian superstar is deep in preparation to make his first defense of the coveted World Title at ONE on Prime Video 3 on Friday, October 21.
He’ll take on surging phenom Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade in the main event of the action-packed spectacle, and he plans to slow his mouthy compatriot’s hype train in emphatic fashion.
The champ’s message to the challenger
“I won’t hold back because now I’m the champion. I’m going to get in the Circle, and I’m going to do what I know how to do best, which is to put on a show and go forward all the time,” the 32-year-old said.
“Of course, the belt is important. It was a very important achievement in my career. But my goal is always to get in there, have a fun fight, and put on a great show.”
“Hands of Stone” impressed fans with a commanding performance to dethrone Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes at ONE: LIGHTS OUT earlier this year, and his ruthless striking style has won him plenty of fans across the globe.
That said, he is still hungry to put on a show inside the Circle, and he believes a match with unbeaten star Andrade will allow him to do just that.
Read More- Watch: Jaw-Dropping Finishes From ONE Championship’s Second Prime Video Event
Both warriors love to bombard opponents with heavy artillery from all angles, which all but guarantees they will put on a striking classic for the global fanbase when they square off.
John Lineker’s prediction for the upcoming fight
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Lineker gives credit to his young countryman and expects a war on the feet to go down. But he has covered all bases ahead of the World Title tussle, just in case things get interesting elsewhere.
“[Andrade’s] Muay Thai is excellent. He’s a great fighter. But I have boxing that scares opponents, especially because of the [power in] my hands. So, which one is better? I don’t know. I don’t like to keep comparing, but I believe in my potential. I know I’m good at what I do,” he warned.
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“This fight will definitely have a lot of striking, and it will be very exciting. He’s going to want to kick me a lot, come in with his knee. But I’m prepared for anything, both striking and on the ground. I see myself finishing him off in the third round.”
Andrade will throw everything at the World Champion on October 21, but if all goes to plan for Lineker, he’ll leave no doubt about why he deserves to rule over the stacked bantamweight division.