On July 14, Amir Aliakbari will walk into Lumpinee Boxing Stadium with the intent to put Dustin Joynson away. After back-to-back TKO victories, Aliakbari is sitting on the doorstep of a title shot. ONE Fight Night 12 on Prime Video is his chance to bust back into the title picture.
Amir Aliakbari Knocks on a Title Shot’s Door at ONE Fight Night 12
Leading into the heavyweight contest, Aliakbari put away Mauro Cerilli and Brandon Vera. The Iranian star credits the Vera win with rebuilding his confidence after a rough beginning to his ONE Championship career. With changes to his camp, Aliakbari is ready to make a statement.
“Yes, in the beginning, when I began my career in ONE Championship, conditions were very difficult for me, and that’s why I failed in my first two fights. But after that, with the help of God and the changes I made in my team and the camps that we had in Russia, I corrected the mistakes I had made in earlier fights,” Aliakbari told ONE.
The 35-year-old is not counting his chickens before they hatch. Aliakbari is complimentary of Joynson’s abilities but believes the stylistic matchup favors him on the global stage. Although he credits the Canadian’s durability, Aliakbari says he will put him away before the judges are needed.
“Dustin is a good opponent, and I have been training for many months after my last fight with Brandon, and I hope to reap the benefits of my hard work in my next fight. Dustin is a good fighter. He has a strong chin and stamina, but his weak points are my strong points,” Aliakbari said.
Should a big performance come while in Bangkok, the Iranian already knows what he wants next. Unsurprisingly, it is a shot at redemption and the newly minted undisputed ONE Heavyweight World Champion Anatoly Malykhin. The 35-year-old is fueled by the thoughts of getting that win back and knocking the Russian off his pedestal. But the job at ONE Fight Night 12 must be completed first.
“After my big loss to him, Anatoly Malykhin became stronger and prouder of himself. It’s my job now to break his prestige,” Aliakbari said.
ONE Fight Night 12 airs live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The action emanates from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will be free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.
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