ONE Championship: Angela Lee, Xiong Jingnan get physical at weigh-ins; Superbon out of title fight
- Angela Lee shoves Xiong Jingnan ahead of Saturday’s ONE on Prime Video 2 main event title fight in Singapore
- Dangkongfah and Jihin Radzuan agree catchweights after failing hydration tests again as featherweight kickboxing champ Superbon confirms withdrawal
Angela Lee and Xiong Jingnan got physical at Friday’s ONE on Prime Video 2 ceremonial weigh-ins, as Superbon Singha Mawynn apologised after being ruled out of this weekend’s co-main event.
When the two fighters met face to face on stage, atomweight champ Lee barged her shoulder into her 34-year-old Chinese opponent’s sternum.
“The Panda” said “no problem, no problem” and then put her index finger to her lips and made a shushing sound.
“Unstoppable” Lee is looking to become a two-division champion with victory in Saturday’s trilogy fight. The pair are tied with one win apiece, after two fifth-round finishes in Tokyo in 2019.
“I don’t need the hype. I don’t need to talk about myself in the third person or say my name and my title out loud for everyone to hear,” Lee wrote in an Instagram post later on Friday.
“I know who I am and what I’m here to do. Tomorrow there will be no more smiles ... Until my hand is raised of course.”
“New belt looks glorious. I will be brining it home tomorrow,” Xiong wrote in her own Instagram post.
Earlier, ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong told the Post on Friday morning that featherweight kickboxing champ Superbon was ill, and would not compete in his scheduled title fight against Tayfun Ozcan in Singapore.
The 32-year-old Thai had not been medically cleared to fight by Thursday, so did not attempt to pass hydration or make weight at the official weigh-ins.
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He would have had one final window to pass checks on Friday afternoon, but his withdrawal was confirmed before that.
“No, I don’t know if I’m supposed to say actually, but I’ll say it anyways, Superbon has pulled out,” Chatri told the Post on a post-event media call after Thursday night’s ONE 161 event.
“He messaged me this afternoon. He’s sick as a dog. He just can’t. But he really wants to fight next month in KL [Kuala Lumpur], no matter what.
“So most likely subject to make-up bout that’s gonna happen, Tayfun versus Marat Grigorian on Saturday, and the winner of that will fight Superbon next month, or Chingiz [Allazov].
“We’re gonna offer the fight to Chingiz who is the rightful title contender but if Tayfun beats Marat, I think that’s also up for grabs. But who knows with a Marat rematch.”
Saturday’s card took another couple of late twists, with Dangkongfah Banchamek failing again to pass hydration on Friday afternoon.
The 20 year-old Thai later agreed a catchweight of 125.25 pounds with Anissa Meksen for their Muay Thai bout.
She was set to be forfeit 20 per cent of her purse to Meksen, but the French-Algerian striking icon declined to take it, with a source telling the Post she was reluctant to punish a fighter who was young in her career.
Jihin Radzuan also failed to pass hydration on multiple attempts during Friday afternoon’s initial final window of 1pm to 4pm.
But the No 5-ranked atomweight agreed a potential catchweight for her MMA bout with No 1-ranked Stamp Fairtex, who allowed her one more hour to pass hydration.
The 24-year-old Malaysian passed soon before 5pm local time, and weighed in at 120.25 pounds, which was within the new catchweight limit of 120.75 pounds.
Stamp will receive 30 per cent of Radzuan’s fight purse.
