Is Thanh Le’s precision striking better than Tang Kai’s sheer power?

Thanh Le will step back into the circle at ONE 160 on August 26 to defend his title against Chinese power striker Tang Kai in the evening’s co-main event.

Following his first-round knockout of Kim Jae Woong at the promotion’s 10th-anniversary spectacular ONE X, Kai secured his opportunity at Le’s featherweight world title. It was Kai’s sixth straight win inside the circle and his third straight first-round knockout. He now faces his toughest test yet against reigning featherweight king Thanh Le who, like his opponent, is undefeated inside the circle.

Winner of five straight under the ONE banner, Le has looked practically unstoppable. The promotion highlighted Le’s recent streak of wins in an Instagram post showing some of the Louisiana native’s precision striking prowess.

“Thanh Le CAN'T BE STOPPED 👊 The ONE Featherweight World Champion defends his throne against Tang Kai on August 26 at ONE 160! 🏆 @thanhlemma”

After his shocking third-round knockout of former featherweight world champion Martin Nguyen at ONE: Inside the Matrix to capture gold, Le returned to the circle facing grappling star Garry Tonon at ONE: Lights Out.

Boasting an undefeated record in ONE, Tonon’s game plan was clear: get Le to the ground and work a submission. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done for ‘The Lion Killer'.

In the opening minute, Tonon was working to secure a heel hook, but in the process, left his head open. Le dropped hammer fist bombs onto Tonon’s exposed head, knocking out the South Brunswick star less than a minute into the contest.

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Thanh Le versus Tang Kai will feature two similar fighters with two different styles

On paper, Thanh Le vs. Tang Kai has all the makings of a striking war. With a combined eight knockouts in 12 total fights inside the circle, betting on a finish in the ONE 160 co-main event feels like a wise choice. However, the way each fighter gets there is quite different.

Tang Kai is a Chinese powerhouse, usually looking to land that one big blow that sets everything in motion for another epic win. So far in ONE Championship, he’s done it three times. Three times in a row, no less. The question is, will that work against a more experienced precision striker in Le?

Much has been said in the build-up regarding the 10 year age gap between the two combatants. While Kai may have better cardio and power, Le’s years of experience and expertise have allowed him to develop a more measured approach, picking apart his opponents rather than blindly throwing power shots and hoping to hit something.

In any given fight, one shot can change everything, but Le has been an absolute force in the circle. Kai is not a fighter to be dismissed in any way, shape, or form, but the smart money is on Le using his tools better than his opponent to retain the ONE featherweight world title.