‘I’m Here To Be The King’ – Liu Mengyang Eyes Statement Win Against Shadow At ONE Friday Fights 126
Chinese kickboxing star Liu Mengyang has already made his mark on the global stage, but the 22-year-old phenom believes the biggest moments of his career still lie ahead.
On Friday, September 26, live in Asia primetime, he returns to Bangkok, Thailand, for ONE Friday Fights 126, where he’ll square off with #3-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender Shadow Singha Mawynn in a featherweight kickboxing showdown.
The matchup comes after a late opponent change. Liu was originally set to face reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai, but an injury forced the Thai superstar out of the matchup.
That being said, the abrupt switch hasn’t dented Liu’s determination. Instead, he remains focused on sending another clear message that he’s ready for the big leagues.
He said:
“I’m a little disappointed that Tawanchai withdrew [from] the fight. I never realized that I was such a deadly [threat] to him that he had to train so hard to fight me, even to injure himself. I just want to say ‘Take it easy man, it’s a sport, losing is acceptable,’ I wish him a good recovery.
“I don’t see any difference about Shadow than any other opponents. I train any fight in my career like it’s the most important fight, and I take any opponent like the hardest one I’ve ever faced.”
Liu’s unwavering self-belief comes from experience.
In his late-notice promotional debut last December at ONE Friday Fights 92, he stunned the martial arts world by defeating Masaaki Noiri, who went on to capture the ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Title. That upset victory immediately installed Liu as a legitimate threat in the division.
Naysayers called it luck, but Liu is quick to dismiss that notion. For the 22-year old, his performance was the result of relentless preparation with his team – and he’s ready to do it again.
The Chinese fighter said:
“I saw a lot of comments saying I defeated Noiri by luck. I don’t think so, I did it because I got the best team and the best training camp in the world. Just like this time with Shadow, we have the highest-level game plan and I believe we are going to shock the world one more time.
“I don‘t build my confidence by beating Noiri or anybody, I do it by training with the best coach and the best team day by day. Noiri is nothing but a small chapter of my career.”
Now, with Shadow standing across from him in the ring at ONE Friday Fights 126, Liu is hungry to add yet another definitive victory to his resume.
Shadow enters the contest on a six-fight winning streak, and is fresh off a second-round knockout of Bampara Kouyate at ONE Fight Night 35. A former Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, the Thai dynamo brings elite credentials into his first kickboxing bout.
But for Liu, each fight is just another step toward his ultimate mission – to one day rule the 155-pound division.
The 22-year-old said:
“I‘ve been looking to dominate my division since the first day I started training. I’m not joining ONE Championship to get a job, I’m here to be the king [at 155 pounds].
“I want to show the kickboxing world that the best fighter in the [division] is a kid from China.”
Liu Mengyang Eyes World Championship Glory In ONE
The ultra-competitive featherweight kickboxing division will be witness to another showcase when Liu Mengyang returns against Shadow Singha Mawynn at ONE Friday Fights 126 this Friday in Bangkok, Thailand.
For the 22-year-old striking savant, this fight is about proving that his upset victory over Masaaki Noiri in his promotional debut wasn’t a one-off occurrence.
After suffering close split decision defeat to Mohammad Siasarani at ONE Friday Fights 105 this past April, winning this next bout has become even more important for Liu.
He said:
“I did learn a lot from that fight, I learned how much I need to calm down in the ring, I learned how I should always stick to the game plan no matter what happened, but most importantly I learned how to take a failure.”
The lessons he has learned from his experience in the world’s largest martial arts organization now fuel his World Championship ambitions.
With ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon and interim titleholder Masaaki Noiri set to unify their belts at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri in Tokyo on November 16, Liu already has his eyes on the winner – and he’s confident the future belongs to him.
Liu said:
“I don’t really care about who’s the winner between Superbon and Noiri. Whoever gets the belt, it’s mine. All they got to do is wait for me to collect it.”
