John Lineker issues a challenge to Fabricio Andrade

Bantamweight knockout kings John Lineker and Fabricio Andrade are on a collision course. The reigning world champion 'Hands of Stone' has just accused his challenger of being a coward.

On Instagram, the ONE bantamweight world champion Lineker declared:

"Fabricio! I dare you to stand toe to toe with me and strike until one of us goes down! You do not have the courage!"

Both Fabricio Andrade and John Lineker are feared for the power they have in their hands. Brazil's Andrade will be entering this fight on a three-fight first-round knockout win streak. Meanwhile, 'Hands of Stone' is just coming off his knockout win to capture the bantamweight crown against Bibiano Fernandes.

Lineker is accusing 'Wonder Boy' of not being courageous enough to trade toe-to-toe against the world champion. Viewers are clamoring to see this showdown scheduled for the main event of ONE on Prime Video 3 on October 21.

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Fabricio Andrade confident he will KO John Lineker

While the Brazilian Lineker accuses his future opponent of being scared to trade on the feet with him, the Tiger Muay Thai-trained Andrade is confident he will end the world champion's reign by way of knockout.

Earlier this year, in an interview with Nic Atkin of South China Morning Post, 'Wonder Boy' Andrade claimed:

“That’s why I’ve been asking to fight him for [the past] two years because I believe in my skills and I believe when I finish a guy like him in the first round that nobody has ever done, then it’s going to be a real statement, not only inside ONE Championship but the whole world [as well]. Everybody’s going to have their eyes on me because nobody has done what I’m gonna do to him.”

The young Brazilian continued and re-emphasized the point that he will KO John Lineker. He added:

"The fact that Bibiano was able to drop him showed me that [Lineker] has a lot of holes in his game, and that gives me a lot more confidence coming into this fight against him. I believe I can finish him in the first round only in striking."

See Fabricio Andrade's full interview with SCMP below: