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Former ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion and Thai legend Nong-O Hama isn’t hanging up the gloves just yet, despite suffering back-to-back knockout losses recently in ONE Championship.
The 37-year-old icon is one of the most accomplished Muay Thai fighters in his generation. He held the ONE belt for a lengthy period of time before losing it to fiery Englishman Jonathan ‘The General’ Haggerty in the middle of 2023.
Late last year, Nong-O returned to action to face surging Scottish star ‘King of the North’ Nico Carrillo in what would have been a terrific comeback performance. However, a second-round blunder forced Nong-O against the ropes, where Carrillo unleashed a counter elbow from hell, which separated the veteran from his senses.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview following the fight, Nong-O Hama said retirement is far from his mind and that he still has much to offer the sport he loves.
The Thai icon said:
“At 37 years of age, I can assure you that I will definitely continue fighting. Because if it happens, I'll stop now. And if one day I want to continue fighting, what will I do? Everyone on the team still sees that I can continue.”
Nong-O Hama was dominating Carrillo early in the fight before the stoppage, so his stance on continuing to fight holds credence.
What’s next for the legendary Nong-O Hama?
It’s hard to say what’s next for former multiple-time ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Hama at this stage in his career. However, ONE Championship currently employs the best Muay Thai fighters and kickboxers in the world, and it won’t be difficult to find the aging veteran a meaningful fight.
A showdown with fellow Thai star Seksan Or. Kwanmuang seems appealing to fans, as the two are very powerful bangers with a penchant for high-octane action.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the news and updates on Nong-O’s next fight.
