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South Korean featherweight MMA fighter Oh Ho Taek knows that he is up against a formidable opponent in his scheduled fight later this week. However, he is unfazed by it, knowing such will only bring the best out of him.
‘Spider’ is to face off with No. 4 featherweight contender Shamil Gasanov in the headlining contest at ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video on January 12 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 30-year-old Oh is out to bounce back after losing in his previous fight and propel his drive once again to reach contender status in the division.
He knows, however, it will not come easy as he is up against a dangerous opponent in ‘The Cobra'. Like him, Gasanov is reeling from a defeat prior and is looking to swing back to the win column.
Just the same, Oh Ho Taek expressed readiness for whatever look 28-year-old Gasanov will be presenting to him come fight night. He told ONE Championship in an interview:
“I'm more motivated to win against a stronger opponent than winning against a weaker one.”
In his last fight, Oh fell to No. 5 contender Akbar Abdullaev by TKO in the opening round. The defeat tripped his ascent in ONE after a hard-earned split decision win in his debut in September 2022 over Japanese Ryogo Takahashi.
Gasanov, meanwhile, was an impressive winner in his promotional debut in October 2022, submitting in the opening round South Korean Kim Jae Woong. However, he bowed in his last fight back in July to American Garry Tonon by submission (kneebar) in the second round.
ONE Fight Night 18 is ONE Championship’s first U.S. primetime event of the year, happening at the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. It will air free of charge for existing Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Shamil Gasanov mindful of Oh Ho Taek’s versatility as a fighter
As much as Oh Ho Taek is expecting to go through the wringer in his upcoming fight, his opponent, Shamil Gasanov, is bracing for a tough battle as well. The Russian highlighted the versatility of the South Korean fighter as among the things he should be mindful of.
The two featherweight MMA fighters headline ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video on January 12 in Bangkok, Thailand. It will be ONE Championship’s first live main show in 2024, which will go down at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. They are both looking to rebound after losing in their previous matches.
In a recent interview with ONE, ‘The Cobra’ gave his take on ‘Spider’ as an opponent after studying him through his previous fights. Gasanov said:
“He’s a well-rounded fighter with a combination of striking, grappling, and submission skills.”
The Shamil Gasanov-Oh Ho Taek clash leads a nine-fight offering at ONE Fight Night 18, which also includes top-notch Muay Thai and kickboxing matches apart from MMA.
