This weekend, Liam Harrison is finally set to have the fight he`s been anticipating. He will step into the ring against fellow combat sports veteran Seksan Or Kwanmuang. The bout will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Harrison has expressed a long-standing desire for this specific matchup.
“It`s not out of disrespect or anything like that. It`s out of love and admiration,” Harrison told Sky Sports. “He`s been one of my favourite fighters for years and years. He is an absolute warlord, he`s a warrior. And he`s a nice guy, until you put him in that ring or in that cage and he turns into an absolute demon.”
He noted his extensive career, having faced numerous prominent figures from his era.
“I`ve fought every single legend from this era, I`d be here all day if I started naming them. Of the real legends of this era, he`s the only one who`s not on [my record].”
Describing his feelings about the upcoming fight, he shared a paradoxical view: “It`ll just be fun. It`ll be horrible but it`ll be fun.”
The British fighter sees parallels in their careers and approaches, expecting an intense battle.
“Both a bit war-torn, both been in there, both done it all, who just like having a good dust up. No one`s going to back down. We`re both going to go at it. We`re going to give it our all, we`re going to go to war and at the end of it we`re going to hug and shake hands and hopefully we`ll have put on an absolute spectacle,” the Briton said.
He believes they have the potential to create a memorable performance.
“I think we can create something special and I`m hoping that`s what we do.”
Harrison feels their aggressive styles will make for a compelling contest.
“He`s one of the toughest fighters you will ever, ever come across. His heart is unrivalled, his style, he comes forward, he throws punches, kicks, knees, elbows, he throws it all… He will never leave that ring without putting everything on the line,” Harrison said.
He sees a shared willingness to engage fearlessly.
“That`s how I am as well. When you get two fighters in there who are willing to put it all on the line, who have got no regard for their personal safety. You`re going to get a special fight.”
However, Harrison also identified a potential vulnerability in Seksan.
“He does leave himself open to be countered. Against me, I don`t think he`s come up against anyone who can kick or punch or hit as hard as I do in ONE Championship yet. I think when I land clean on him, he might be in for a bit of a shock.”
Given the nature of fighting with small gloves, he expects unpredictability.
“In them four-ounce gloves, anything can happen. I don`t know what`s going to happen in this fight, all I know it`s going to be ridiculous.”
For Harrison, this fight signifies not just facing a desired opponent but also his return to competition after a two-year period recovering from injury (and a cancelled bout earlier this year).
“It`s been a long time coming. I`m like a pitbull ready to get let off the leash,” Harrison stated.
He remains confident that his extensive experience prevents ring rust.
“I`ve had around 120 pro fights or something. I`m not going to forget what to do. I`m still used to taking punishment in the gym, getting shots thrown at me,” he explained.
This showdown with Seksan is a fight he plans to fully embrace, acknowledging it could potentially be one of his last, depending on how his body recovers.
“It might be one of the last ones,” Harrison noted. “My body will tell me… But if I can fight how I`m training, we`ll see.”
Despite daily challenges, the thrill of fight night remains his driving force.
“Every single day I ask myself what am I doing here. Then all of a sudden, I get that little thought about what it feels like when you`re in there fighting on fight night and I`m like: That`s why I do it.”
He intends to continue his career for as long as physically possible, stating: “I`m here till the wheels fall off.”
The fight between Harrison and Seksan will be shown live on Sky Sports Mix starting at 1 am on Saturday morning.
