“I’m Better Technically and Stronger Too” – Felipe Lobo Breaks Down His Advantages Over Saemapetch Fairtex Ahead of ONE Fight Night 17

Published 11/27/2023, 5:37 AM EST

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Felipe Lobo believes he is one of the best fighters in ONE Championship’s bantamweight Muay Thai division, and he wants to leave no doubts about his spot in the stacked weight bracket. The #2-ranked contender will look to solidify his position in his rematch against Saemapetch Fairtex.

All of it at ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts on Friday, December 9, inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, but he knows it won’t be a straightforward night at the office for him. Both men were riding a two-fight win streak when they squared off at ONE Fight Night 9 this past April. But one of them came short.

Felipe Lobo has won once

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But Saemapetch was the top-ranked fighter in their division, and he was looking to book his shot at the World Title by taking out Lobo. However, the Brazilian star would emerge victorious on that occasion thanks to a stunning third-round knockout.

Despite scoring the win in their first meeting, “Demolition Man” recognizes his rival’s reputation and explains that he’s been prepping hard to go 2-0. “I’ve always been a big fan of Saemapetch. I have always followed his career. He’s a very good fighter, very strong, good with his hands, and it’s a style that I’ve been training for a lot,” he told ONE in an interview.

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Saemapetch has over 100 wins in his striking career and is regarded as one of the pound-for-pound hardest hitters in all of Muay Thai. He’s always chasing the knockout, and he even wobbled Lobo last time out. And later, he found a chance to fight back and win.

The former World Title challenger reminded the world how dangerous he is when he bounced back from his loss to the Brazilian in April with a first-round knockout win over Kaonar Sor Jor Thongprajin at ONE Friday Fights 30 in June. 

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Lobo holds strong his self-belief

Nonetheless, Lobo believes he has the necessary skill set to overcome Saemapetch again, and he wants to replicate his previous success by claiming another stoppage. “My style is more skillful. I like to work on my dodges, and I try to be more intelligent in fights,” Lobo said. 

WATCH:- Nong-O Gaiyanghadao Flatlines Felipe Lobo in the Third Round With an Uppercut From Hell to Retain His Belt at ONE X

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“Saemapetch is a more aggressive guy. He moves forward all the time. He’s a good fighter, but I’m better technically and stronger too. So, I believe I can win this fight again by knockout.” Certainly, a fight between the two will be blow-for-blow but who will reign supreme?

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Written by:

Prit Chauhan

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Prit Chauhan is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. His portfolio shows him as the go-to event coverage writer at ES and his work on UFC 297 is proof of the same. As an experienced writer and a longtime MMA fan, Prit’s strong suit lies in telling the relatively unknown and more personal stories of fights and fighters.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das