“Get back in here again” - Diego Paez says he’s ready for a quick turnaround after impressive win over Johan Ghazali

Veteran fighter Diego Paez scored a breakthrough ONE Championship victory last week. He signified his readiness to get back into action even on a short turnaround.

The 31-year-old Classic Fight Team representative got the better of teen sensation Johan Ghazali in their flyweight Muay Thai joust at ONE Fight Night 32: Nakrob vs. Jaosuayai on June 6 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. He held tough throughout their three-round battle to win by split decision.

In an interview with combat sports journalist Nick Atkin following his victory, Paez shared that he would celebrate his first ONE victory and then be ready to do it again soon if possible.

The Southern California native said:

"Sometimes I feel like I'm not hurt and then the next morning I wake up I'm like "Holy s***." So, I mean, I feel ready, though. I definitely want to get back in here again this year for sure. We'll see how things play out. Got to go home and settle. Enjoy that one."

Watch the interview below:

At ONE Fight Night 32, Diego Paez had himself a spirited back-and-forth against Ghazali. His composure as well as his timing and crisp counters proved to be key to edging 'Jojo', 2-1, in the judges' scorecards for the narrow split-decision win.

The victory was a bounce-back for Paez, who was at the raw end of a split-decision result in his ONE debut against Filipino-American Sean Climaco in February.

Ghazali, 18, meanwhile, slumped to his second straight defeat and third in his last four matches following the loss.

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Diego Paez hopes he earned some respect following victory over Johan Ghazali

Diego Paez is hoping that his victory over Johan Ghazali at ONE Fight Night 32 earned him some respect from those who initially doubted him.

Considered an underdog against his teen phenom opponent, Paez flipped the narrative by holding his own against 'Jojo' and scoring a split decision victory.

In the same interview with Nick Atkin, Diego Paez spoke about the significance of his win over Ghazali, including how it was a statement victory. He said:

"I know the organization loves him. He's a star boy, and they invested a lot in promoting him for this fight. But I hope I earned some respect."

Paez added:

"And, like I said, I just feel like I'm right where I need to be and fully confident in what the future holds in store for me."

The full replay of ONE Fight Night 32 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in North America.