Two of the top Team Lakay bantamweights are excited to see how the rematch between former divisional king John “Hands of Stone” Lineker and top-ranked Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade for the vacant ONE Bantamweight World Title unfolds.
Third-ranked bantamweight Stephen “The Sniper” Loman and rising star Jeremy “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw can’t wait for ONE Fight Night 7 on February 25, when the two bantamweight studs will settle their score at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
While both of them agree that this fight will be one for the history books, they also agree that Andrade – who’s as skilled as he is brash – will get the job done this time around.
“Andrade’s confidence is so high right now. I feel like he’s gotten his groove and his striking is on another level now,” Loman said.
“His step-knee to the body is so lethal. That’s what makes him special—his knees, his kicks.”
In the first match, Andrade brought the pain to Lineker as he peppered his compatriot’s face with punches, body shots, and kicks.
By the third round, Lineker’s right eye was shut and he was nearly finished by an Andrade step-through knee. However, another knee landed inadvertently to Lineker’s groin and ended the match prematurely.
Still, that kind of showing in the first fight is hard to ignore, and Pacatiw expects Andrade to carry that confidence into this second fight.
“I think Fabricio has the mental edge now, and his confidence is at an all-time high. He has this mindset now of, ‘I wanna kill this guy,’” Pacatiw said.
“He’s really [pumped up] for this fight, because maybe he knows that he rightfully deserved to get the win in the first match, but it ended with a low blow.”
That’s why they have no doubts that once the dust settles at Lumpinee, it will be Andrade hoisting the belt above his head.
“If you’re gonna ask me to predict, I’d still have Andrade [by] technical knockout,” Loman said.
“I feel like he’s just gonna pick up where he left off from that [first] fight.”
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