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Denis Puric is happy to play the role of the underdog once more at ONE Fight Night 26. After all, 'The Bosnian Menace' has built a name for himself through his abilities to pull off upsetting wins throughout his two-decade career.
The 39-year-old war dog steps inside the ONE Circle for the third time in 2024, looking to end his year on a high in his flyweight Muay Thai duel against Elias Mahmoudi inside the Lumpinee Stadium on Dec. 6.
Many see his opposite number as the favorite in this battle between ranked contenders. And the No.3-ranked contender is completely fine with that perception.
Speaking to the Bangkok Post in an exclusive pre-fight interview, Denis Puric shared:
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"I mean, that's okay. I agree with you. I don't blame them because he's a tall, young stud, very very strong. But it's just my job to disappoint those people."
Watch the full interview here:
That he has just done while competing at the very pinnacle of the sport. The battle-tested veteran has graced the ring alongside some of the best Muay Thai and kickboxing practitioners. While there were some memorable wins over some legendary names on his resume, the defeats have been there too.
Still, Puric never fails to put on a show. The hardy striker will be fired up to entertain the audience one more against Mahmoudi inside the Mecca of Muay Thai. And, oftentimes, he does it best when the pressure is off his shoulders.
Danial Williams backs Elias Mahmoudi to beat Denis Puric but thinks it won't come easy
Meanwhile, 'Mini T' Danial Williams, who competes on the same card in a strawweight Muay Thai clash against Thongpoon PK Saenchai, offered his prediction for this flyweight scrap between Denis Puric and No.5-ranked Elias Mahmoudi.
Speaking to Sportskeeda MMA, he said:
"It's going to be a tough [fight] for Puric. So I'll edge Mahmoudi. But make no mistake, Puric can take a lot of damage."
ONE Fight Night 26 will be available, live in U.S. primetime, to active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America on Friday, Dec. 6.
