Gasanov avenged the only loss of his professional career, defeating Tonon by unanimous decision at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The victory was more than just three rounds of fighting – it was 13 months of preparation and the burning desire to erase the one stain on an otherwise perfect record.
“I am happy that I got my revenge today. It was important to me,” Gasanov said in his post-fight interview.
The third-ranked featherweight contender executed a near-perfect game plan, controlling the first two rounds before grinding through a difficult third frame while dealing with an injury sustained late in the second round.
“I was confident in the first two rounds that I knew that I was winning,” Gasanov explained. “However, I got an injury at the end of the second round. And so in the third round, I was struggling, had to be more reserved. And I knew that I lost the third round.”
The preparation for this rematch had been exhaustive. Gasanov’s entire training camp revolved around one nightmare scenario: finding himself trapped in Tonon’s signature back attacks, the same position that had led to his downfall at ONE Fight Night 12 in July 2023.
“Actually, this has been a big part of my training. I’m always giving my back up to be able to practice getting out of that position,” Gasanov revealed. “And so there was not a part of me that wasn’t confident that I’d be able to get out this time as well. The only thing I was worried about was the legs. But with my back, this was something I was prepared for.”
That defensive work proved crucial when Tonon attempted his trademark submission sequences during the fight. Gasanov’s coaches had spent months placing him in compromised positions, building the confidence needed to stay calm under pressure.
Despite their competitive rivalry, the 29-year-old Dagestani maintains respect for his opponent.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t say that we’re really big rivals or at war or anything. We have a lot of respect for each other,” Gasanov said.
The victory extends Gasanov’s winning streak to five fights and positions him as a legitimate contender for reigning ONE featherweight world champion Tang Kai. More importantly, it erased the one defeat that had been haunting him for over a year.
