John Lineker Still Believes Himself To Be the Deserving Bantamweight Champion Despite “Losing the Title for a Silly Thing” and Having a “Tough Fight” Against Fabricio Andrade

John “Hands of Stone” Lineker believes he still deserves his spot atop the ONE Championship bantamweight division, despite the torrid week he has endured.

The Brazilian knockout specialist lost the ONE Bantamweight World Title after failing to make weight in the lead-up to his first World Title defense against Fabricio Andrade at ONE on Prime Video 3 this past Friday, October 21.

Then, when he stepped into action inside the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, “Hands of Stone” looked like a shadow of his former self, which made it difficult for him to stay in the fight. And the main event’s unfortunate result only added to his troubles.

John Lineker looked unhappy after his Bantamweight title was stripped off

Lineker recognizes his shortcomings when it comes to the bitter showdown with Andrade, and he regrets the mistakes he made.

“Losing the title for a silly thing, for a miscalculation I made at the weigh-ins, made me very upset. This weight issue seems like karma to me. It’s something that haunts me,” he said.

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“I tried to stay strong and focused to get in the fight well, but I wasn’t 100 percent. But that’s no excuse. It was a tough fight.”

From the sound of the bell, the normally laser-focused striking dynamo failed to handle his Brazilian counterpart’s output, so he found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of stinging strikes that left him battered and bruised.

“Wonder Boy” looked to be on the verge of an emphatic victory until the action was cut short when he landed a devastating low blow on Lineker just before the midway point of the third round.

Lineker accredits Andrade but wants to settle the unfinished business

“Hands of Stone” was unable to continue, so the fight was deemed a no contest – much to the disappointment of the young challenger and the global fanbase.

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Despite the illegal shot, Lineker doesn’t take anything away from Andrade, who he sees as one of the division’s best and respects for his relentless fight style. “Fabricio is an excellent fighter, but I was very upset about what happened. I didn’t go in 100 percent, but I did what needed to be done in the fight,” he said.

Nonetheless, the 32-year-old superstar sternly believes that there is unfinished business between him and “Wonder Boy,” and he’ll jump at a chance to tango with him again at some point in the future.