The Ukrainian star will defend the ONE heavyweight Muay Thai world title against British powerhouse Lyndon Knowles in the main event of the thrilling show this Saturday, April 5, at Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.
Kryklia has remained unbeaten across his six outings in the world’s largest martial arts organization so far. Along with finishing five of those before the final bell, he has won the ONE heavyweight kickboxing world Grand Prix and claimed the light heavyweight kickboxing and heavyweight Muay Thai crowns.
While the heavy-handed slayer has dominated every foe that’s stood before him, he’s not getting complacent, for he’s aware of the threat that Knowles possesses.
“Expect action. I always give 100 percent in every fight. There’s always intensity, always drama – I don’t do boring fights,” Kryklia asserted.
“I don’t think this one goes the full five rounds. Heavyweights, small gloves, Muay Thai rules – add in elbows and knees, and there’s a high chance of a knockout.”
Kryklia has grounds to be wary of his debuting foe. Knowles is a multi-time WBC heavyweight Muay Thai world champion with a career spanning well over two decades, so he has amassed a wealth of striking knowledge.
The Ukrainian is well aware of his foe’s acumen but believes he can rely on his faster strikes to hold the advantage over Knowles.
“He’s aggressive, experienced, and always moving forward – that’s his main strength. He also has a solid foundation in classic Thai boxing. As for me, I’ll be relying on my movement, speed, and cardio to create the edge,” Kryklia said.
“I expect things to stay technical, but I’m ready for a war. You can plan for one type of fight, and then it turns into a slugfest – that happens more often than you’d think. So, yeah, I’m ready for anything.”
