“I’ve already caught up to many of his past accomplishments” - Kwon Won Il says he can surpass Kevin Belingon’s success

Kwon Won Il may be up against one of the most experienced fighters in the bantamweight division at ONE: Winter Warriors II, but the South Korean remains certain that he can collect one of the biggest victories of his career.

‘Pretty Boy’ takes on Kevin ‘The Silencer’ Belingon in the co-main event of ONE: Winter Warriors II, a previously recorded event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium which airs via tape delay this Friday, December 17.

All five of Kwon’s wins have come by way of knockouts and the 26-year-old is confident that he can achieve a similar result against the former ONE bantamweight world champion.

He may respect the Team Lakay star to a certain degree, but Kwon feels that ‘The Silencer’ is well past his prime. In fact, Kwon reckons that he has even matched the Filipino's success in the Circle.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Kwon said:

“Belingon is really an amazing athlete. But in some ways, I’ve already caught up to many of his past accomplishments. I’m dreaming of things much more and beyond.”

We do not know whether Kwon is trying to play mind games because a closer look at his record suggests that he has lots of catching up to do when it comes to matching Belingon’s past accomplishments.

Kwon’s 10-3 resume is no match for the 34-year-old Ifugao native’s 28-fight record. Besides, he has not even won a world title. But all that can change if Kwon can continue picking up more victories and take out division king Bibiano Fernandes.

Kwon’s biggest asset is his powerful right hand, and the South Korean athlete has used that very weapon to get him past Anthony Engelen, Eric Kelly, Sunoto Peringkat, Bruno Pucci and Chen Rui.

---

Kwon: “I’m the icon of a new generation”

Before Ok Rae Yoon’s lightweight world title success in September, martial arts fans will have to go back to 2012 when fellow South Korean fighters Kotetsu Boku and Soo Chul Kim became world champions in the lightweight and bantamweight division respectively.

In the form he is in, Kwon certainly thinks he can follow in the footsteps of his compatriots on the global stage of martial arts.

“I’m the icon of a new generation. That’s how I feel. That’s what I believe is going to happen.”