Tang Kai says he will turn the lights out on Thanh Le at ONE 160

Thanh Le will have his hands full when he returns to the circle on August 26 to face fiery Chinese challenger Tang Kai. Le will defend his ONE featherweight world championship for the second time following a highlight-reel knockout of Garry Tonon at ONE: Lights out in March.

Tang Kai is coming off of his own spectacular knockout of Kim Jae Woong at the promotion’s 10th-anniversary show, ONE X, this past March. Following the win, Tang called for a world title shot against Le, using some expletives in the process that definitely got the reigning world champion’s attention.

Now, the two will square off in the co-main event of ONE 160, the first of back-to-back events hosted by the promotion as summer comes to a close.

While speaking at a ONE 160 virtual media event, Tang Kai discussed his ONE 160 opponent. He told the media that he believes Le’s biggest weakness is his chin.

“I think that his weakness is that his chin is weak. He never got hit with a tough hit in the ONE Championship circle. But I’ve watched him get knocked out previously in his career and I know that his chin is weak. I think that if my fist touches him, he’s gonna crash.”

In 14 career wins, Tang Kai has finished 12 of his fights, each one via knockout. The Chinese striker has shown time and time again that his fists are not to be messed with.

The champ was quick to respond to Tang's comment, however, saying with an appropriate level of snarkiness:

“You gotta touch it first.”

Tang Kai keeps the trash talk coming leading into ONE 160 showdown with Thanh Le

Ever since his profanity-laced callout of Thanh Le at ONE X, Tang Kai has kept the jibes coming in the build-up to their world title showdown.

In his ONE 160 virtual media appearance, Tang insisted that he plans to knock Le out and send him into retirement, calling the featherweight king old in the process.

"He's too old. It's about time for him to hang up his gloves. My goal is to knock him out, send him into retirement and keep the belt for as long as I can."

While Thanh Le admitted to finding the trash-talking from Tang entertaining, it also motives him to put an exclamation point on the night should he emerge victorious in the evening’s co-main event.

"I will take him to the deep water and take him late to the fourth or fifth round. I want him to feel the championship, I want him to feel that he doesn't belong there for five rounds with the champ… I am ready to go in there and finish him."