Legendary boxers Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson have long inspired young athletes, with many aspiring to follow in their footsteps. Among them is ONE flyweight kickboxing contender Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito, who specifically admires Mike Tyson’s power. Naito is gearing up to face Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi in an electrifying flyweight kickboxing showdown at ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on August 2nd at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, airing live to US primetime.

While little is known about Taiki Naito’s life and his motivation for this latest adventure, an exclusive interview with Raj Sarkar from EssentiallySports aims to shed light on these questions. The interview explores his admiration for legendary boxers and the source of his incredible power through a Japanese-to-English translator.

Raj: So Taiki, if you had to choose between Muhammad Ali’s agility and Mike Tyson’s power, which would you choose and why?

After hearing this question, Taiki took a moment to think, which is truly difficult for any combat sports athlete. However, he figured out.

Taiki Naito: I want to gain power from Mike Tyson because I believe I already have high-level reflexes. If I could harness Tyson’s power, I think I would be the best. That’s the reason.

The upcoming ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart will not only feature the electrifying Taiki Naito vs. Elias Mahmoudi fight but also boasts 12 other exciting matchups. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about it.

ONE Fight Night 24: What you need to know

The headline bout features former ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred Brooks squaring off against Cuban sensation Gustavo Balart for the ONE Interim Strawweight MMA World Title. Brooks, the former titleholder, is looking to reclaim the gold and a chance at unifying the belt against familiar rival Joshua “The Passion” Pacio. However, the streaking Balart is on a hot four-fight win streak, and will certainly aim for the biggest prize in his career with his fifth win. 

Meanwhile, the co-main event will feature a battle for the ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling Championship. The reigning champion, Danielle Kelly, will defend her title for the first time against BJJ star Mayssa Bastos. While Bastos may be relatively new to the promotion, her resume boasts more wins and experience. 

Another high profile on the card involves the bantamweight Muay Thai fighter Felipe Lobo. Dusting himself off from a loss to Jonathan Haggerty for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship, Lobo will now face the towering Algerian-Thai fighter Nabil Anane.

With just two weeks to go until ONE Fight 24; Brooks vs. Balart, which fight are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!