ONE flyweight Muay Thai champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon is back at Lumpinee Stadium and ready to showcase his special brand of world-class striking when he rematches Jacob Smith at ONE 169.
The Thai superstar will look to defend his world title on November 9 when he faces Smith at the iconic home of Muay Thai and, ahead of the matchup, he sat down for a quickfire Q&A session with the ONE PR team to share his thoughts during fight week.
What makes Jacob Smith a tough opponent?
The best weapon for Jacob is his durability. His durability is what makes him a hard opponent for everyone. I think my speed will give me an advantage over him. In our first fight, I fought him with my speed and agility.
How much have you two improved since your first fight?
I’m the same as before. I will try to adapt and figure it out on stage. I don’t know if I’ve improved or not. He’s still the same in terms of his style. In his fight against Denis Puric, he was still as slow as ever. It’s like his engine is slow to heat up. He thinks and acts a bit slow.
What is your game plan for this rematch?
I will do my best. I want to knock him out because I want the bonus, but I can’t underestimate my opponent because Jacob Smith is tough and durable. With his strong physique, I can’t underestimate him.
What is your message to the fans?
I would like to leave a message for everyone. I will do my best for this fight. I want all the fans in Thailand to come to see this fight at the stadium or watch it on local TV. Everyone, please cheer me on. I want Muay Thai to reach a world-class level. I am one person who will help promote Muay Thai as much as possible.
Can you give us your prediction for this fight?
I think it should come out the same as our first fight because me and him have the same old style. The chance of a knockout in this fight is quite low because he has a lot of durability. In the first fight, I hurt him very hard, but he didn’t get knocked down, unless he really misses and gets a critical hit.
