Yuki Yoza Supremely Confident For His May 23 ONE Championship Debut

“[Osmanov] really gives me that ‘Russian karate fighter’ impression. He can throw spinning back kicks explosively from any distance, and he’s physically strong in a straightforward way. I’m very good against karate-style fighters, so I think this is a great matchup for me,” the Japanese star said.

Yuki Yoza Not About to Allow Scorecards to Become Factor

A finish is at the forefront of Yuki Yoza’s mind heading into battle. He plans to use every second chasing the knockout to announce himself to the world in a major way. However, he knows he must still be prepared for a three-round war if that is what it comes down to inside Lumpinee Stadium.

“I’ve prepared for a three-round battle in case it goes that way with a decision. However, I’m only aiming for a knockout, so I want to use the full three rounds of three minutes to finish him as I always do. Rather than just knock him out, I want to break his spirit,” Yoza remarked.

Although he oozes confidence, Yoza is still being realistic. Having never met Osmanov before, there is a level of uncertainty about what to expect when the bell rings. That is why Yoza is visualizing his opponent coming in at the height of his abilities.

“His explosive speed is something I can’t fully gauge until we face each other, so I’m trying to visualize that at a high level. If he comes in stronger than I imagine, I might get flustered, so I’m picturing him as extremely strong. Also, his physical strength – that’s something you can’t know until the fight begins. However, I’ve trained with these factors in mind, so I don’t think he’ll exceed my expectations,” Yuki Yoza stated.

Yuki Yoza Feels Strong About ONE Debut Friday

Yuki Yoza admitted that he once thought this matchup would be more difficult than how he feels today. That is a mark of his growing confidence in his preparation for the bout. At ONE Friday Fights 109, the Japanese talent is leaving no room in his mind for believing he will exit as the loser.

“When the fight was first announced, I thought he would be a tough opponent, especially considering ONE’s scoring system. But after all the training I’ve been through, my confidence has significantly increased, and now, I believe I won’t lose regardless of how the fight plays out,” the debuting talent concluded.

ONE Friday Fights 109 airs live on ONE’s official YouTube channel on Friday, May 23. The event emanates from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The action goes live at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.