Reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes is confident of a strong showing even after his highly anticipated clash with current top contender John “Hands of Stone” Lineker got pushed back.
They will finally go at it in one of the two world title bouts at ONE: LIGHTS OUT set for this Friday, March 11, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Originally scheduled for ONE: BAD BLOOD on 11 February, the bout had to be postponed after Lineker tested positive for COVID-19. But the changes in date doesn’t bother Fernandes at all – instead, he believes it made him mentally stronger.
“No, [the delay wasn’t difficult]. I’m a professional athlete. I’ve been doing this since I was 14. There are things that are out of my control, but I am a warrior. I am prepared mentally and physically for whatever comes and goes,” Fernandes told ONEFC.com.
“I went back to my camp, and I’m training hard to do a good job on the day of the fight. Mentally, I got even stronger. I’m very well-prepared and focused on my goal, which is victory.”
While most people would be wary of Lineker’s striking prowess, Fernandes sees nothing special with his compatriot’s stand-up game.
“I don’t think he has dangerous striking. He has only good punches. I saw a lot of his fights, I studied his game with my coaches, and we saw that he has some really good hooks. He’s a short guy, which, in my opinion, helps him throw those punches,” Fernandes said.
“But I’m not worried about his striking or his skills. I’m very focused, and I know I’m going to go through Lineker. I know I will win this fight.”
If the match reaches Fernandes’ domain – which is the ground – “The Flash” doesn’t expect it to go to the final bell.
“He’s not a very good guy on the ground. He (just) survives the ground fight. When someone takes him down, he always tries to get up,” he shared.
“(When) he is taken down, he goes to the corner of the cage and tries to get up. He won’t do jiu-jitsu with me. If he does, I have no doubt that I will finish him.”
Catch ONE: LIGHTS OUT this Friday, March 11. Watch the lead card live on One Sports+ at 7 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT) while the main card broadcasts live on One Sports and One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. PHT.
