'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBAAAgEDBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFBgcRITFRAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGEQABBAEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBREAEiEiQRP/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AJd25u4tO53GyQ2cItWxSRTgdySGW6UuxJHzoVTjbpZ2JikNrZiNTwgIbkKPPDSlNqSkrJ0vL7BXmIlR7qHP0UPDohe2s+I1hl0JAkEDok8bAfRr/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Following his rousing United States debut last week, ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon shared he is gunning for other world titles, particularly the bantamweight gold in the sport.
‘The Iron Man’ resoundingly introduced himself to American fight fans with a second-round knockout victory over Mexican challenger Edgar Tabares in their co-headlining fight at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on Prime Video on May 5.
Following a ”feeling out” period in the opening round, Rodtang significantly picked things up in the second, aggressively attacking his opponent with powerful punch combinations.
The Thai superstar then sent the match to a close when he caught Edgar Tabares with a left elbow midway into the round. The Mexican challenger tried to answer the bell after but just could not get himself to do it, prompting the referee to stop the contest at the 1:34 mark of the second frame.
For his dominant victory, ONE CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong saw it fit to reward Rodtang with a $100,000 performance bonus.
After another successful world title defense, ‘The Iron Man’ shared that apart from taking all comers for his world title, he is also eyeing the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai gold of newly minted world champion Jonathan ‘The General’ Haggerty of the United Kingdom.
He said during the post-fight interview inside the circle:
“I know I can push myself a lot more and I can get the [bantamweight Muay Thai] world championship.”
Rodtang and Haggerty already met twice before for the flyweight Muay Thai world title. The Jitmuangnon Gym affiliate dethroned the British striker by unanimous decision in August 2019. He then held off Haggerty’s push to return as champion in their rematch in January 2020 by technical knockout in the third round.
ONE Fight Night 10 took place at 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado. It was ONE Championship's first live on-ground event in the U.S. The replay of the landmark show is available for free via Amazon Prime in North America.
