After two years out of action, British Muay Thai star Liam Harrison returned to the Circle for one last dance at ONE 168: Denver this past weekend.
His 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai contest with fellow veteran Seksan Or Kwanmuang was as scrappy as advertised when it went down last Saturday, 7th September, inside Denver, Colorado’s Ball Arena.
Fans were treated to back-and-forth action for a round and a half before Harrison succumbed to a knockout midway through the second frame.
Upon the defeat, the Leeds native took off his gloves and laid them in the middle of the Circle to signify he was calling time on his career, and he discussed his decision in the post-event presser conference.
“I can’t take the damage that I could take when I was still in my 20s and in my prime. It’s just a shame ONE Championship came for me when I was already in my mid to late 30s. Because if I had gone when I was in my prime, and I was beating Anuwat, and smashing all Europeans, and knocking out all the Thais, I think I could [have] really been one of the biggest stars,” Harrison reflected.
“But it is what it is, I’m so grateful that I just [got] the chance. Even though I didn’t win tonight, just the chance to have the craziest fights, the Muangthai fight, the Rodlek fight, and this fight tonight. Even though I didn’t win, the thing I still got in abundance, I still have my heart.”
In his heyday, “Hitman” was one of the scariest Muay Thai fighters around. He beat many of the world’s best and treated fans to half a dozen thrilling performances in ONE Championship.
His 2022 ONE Muay Thai Fight of the Year showing against Muangthai PK Saenchai will surely go down as one of the best fights in the history of the promotion and the “art of eight limbs” at large.
It’s never an easy call for a fighter to decide that they’re done, but Harrison is realistic about his options.
Overall, the Bad Company man is happy to have ended his career in the world’s largest martial arts organization, as it allowed him to go out swinging against some of the best strikers on the planet.
“The level of competition here is unbelievable, it’s the best of the best. And it’s just a shame that Father Time is catching up with me a little bit. Like I said I’m gutted, but what am I meant to do? There’s only so much your body can go through. I’ve had 120 professional fights, the way I fight, I go to war, and that’s how I want to fight,” Harrison said.
“That’s why I laid the gloves down because I just thought that it’s time. Like I said, I’m so grateful to Chatri and ONE Championship that I got the chance to be on this amazing stage, even though I’m at the back end of my career. It was still an amazing ride.”
