Nico Carrillo is no longer interested in defending his No. 1 contender spot; he is determined to challenge Jonathan Haggerty for the world title.
Following his impressive victory over Saemapetch Fairtex in July, Carrillo is keenly anticipating the bout between Haggerty and Superlek Kiatmoo9. They are set to clash for the ONE Muay Thai bantamweight world championship.
`I need to see what happens with Haggerty versus Superlek. I would really like to fight the winner in November. If Haggerty wins, he will likely try to avoid defending the title against me,` Carrillo commented.
`Superlek would defend against me, but I`m unsure if he has plans to fight Rodtang [Jitmuangnon, the flyweight champion] next. I`m in a somewhat complicated situation at the moment.`
Carrillo is concerned about losing his opportunity to fight for the title as other fighters enter the title picture.
`I want to remain active, but I have just defended my No. 1 ranking against a very dangerous opponent. When you are No. 1, the next step should be the title fight,` he told Sky Sports.
`I can`t keep defending my No. 1 position; I have too much to lose. I`ve already taken a big risk by defending it. I need to fight for the title.`
A world champion and the top contender, both from Britain, facing off in a major combat sports organization would be a significant event.
Carrillo believes this fight should happen next. `My concern is that they might try to prolong the build-up to the fight and bring it to England. In my opinion, let`s fight now, and I`ll defeat him, and then we could have a rematch in England. There`s no better time than now. We don`t need to wait so long to fight,` he stated.
He added, `I believe I would knock out Jonathan Haggerty just like my other opponents. I am confident in my victory and becoming champion.`
`Everything I have said, I have accomplished. I make bold statements about what I`m going to do, but I have always been proven right. I have a strong belief in myself. I consistently prove myself right.`
Remaining undefeated in ONE Championship with all four wins by knockout reinforces his confidence. `I know that fans in ONE want to see violence, so I adapted my style for that,` he added.
`It was a great decision by the boss [ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong] to switch to 4oz gloves. It`s much more exciting and more violent.`
`When I transitioned to ONE Championship, it felt like a new sport to me. Previously, you could absorb a kick or a punch on the glove, but in ONE, you can`t do that because everything gets through; the space is so small.`
`Even a jab can knock you out, any lapse in concentration can be fatal.`
Fighting for legacy
ONE 168 this weekend may clarify Nico Carrillo`s next career move. However, it won`t define his lasting impact on the sport, as his ambitions extend beyond just winning titles.
`My goals are bigger than just fighting. My goals are to inspire the younger generation, to inspire people. I came from a difficult area, from humble beginnings. You don`t have to have everything to achieve everything,` he said. `You can choose your own path.`
`Walking into a Thai boxing gym changed my life. If it did that for me, I`m sure it can do it for thousands of others.`
Don`t miss Harrison`s fight
A pioneer of British Muay Thai, Liam Harrison, is returning on the September 7 show, two years after his last fight. He aims to get back to winning form against Seksan Or Kwanmuang. Carrillo expects him to succeed.
`I think he will KO Seksan,` he said. `I have nothing but good things to say about Liam Harrison. He has inspired me and many younger fighters in my gym. He is probably the most successful British fighter of this generation. He single-handedly put UK Muay Thai on the map.`
Carrillo aims to follow in Harrison`s footsteps as the next trailblazer for the sport in Britain.
`I believe I am already heading in that direction,` he said. `I think [Haggerty] would agree. There`s a problem – we need to determine who the king is. Once we fight, we will see who the greatest fighter in the UK is.`
