Thanh Le expects ‘a relatively quick and difficult fight’ over Ilya Freymanov: “I like that a lot”

At ONE Fight Night 15, Thanh Le has the opportunity to solidify his status at the top of the featherweight division by becoming an interim world champion.

Having been scheduled to face defending king Tang Kai in an immediate rematch after losing the belt to the Chinese champion, Le now has one more obstacle he must clear first.

With the champ injured, an interim title was put on the line for the main event on October 6, when the former titleholder will face Ilya Freymanov.

Whilst the fight provides a huge opportunity for the rising Russian contender to produce his biggest win to date and take the title shot away from Le, it’s also an opportunity to leave no doubt who the most deserving challenger is.

Through their 30 combined fights, the two devastating strikes have only gone to the scorecards on four occasions. On the flip side, they have produced 21 knockouts in those fights, stating all that you need to know about what to expect when these two men square off against each other.

With their track records for finishing fights, Le is excited at the opportunity of putting his striking to the test against a fellow knockout artist under the ONE Championship banner.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Thanh Le spoke about the strengths that his opponent brings to the table, acknowledging that it will be a challenge but one that he is excited to face:

“I think it’s going to be a relatively quick and difficult fight. And I like that a lot. That’s what it says on paper, and that’s what my brain tells me, and that’s what I think his brain tells him based on some of the interviews I’ve heard.”

ONE Fight Night 15 will air live and free in U.S. primetime for North American viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.