Colombian-American forward Diego Paez recalls the fight that put him on the flyweight Muay Thai map.

The 32-year-old veteran faced fan-favorite Malaysian-American talent Johan Ghazali at ONE Fight Night 32 last June as an underdog.

Paez, who lost to Sean Climaco in his ONE debut, faced huge odds against the 19-year-old striker.

But the representative of the classic fight team put in one of the best performances of his career, dismantling “Jojo” with clinical precision to earn a split decision victory.

Get the latest updates for One Champions Ranking list At Sportskeeda et al.

during an interview ONE ChampionshipPaes reflected on the importance of this huge victory to his career.

“It was very important. I thought it went well. It went the way I thought it would. Obviously, I wanted to finish, but at the same time I had to respect his strength. But I thought I was in the lead for a few rounds and it went well, just like we planned.”

Relive the full battle here:

youtube cover

Now, he will face another tough test on February 13 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The Pats will look to build on that momentum against a surging team. black panther at ONE Fight Night 40.

With hopes of climbing the divisional ladder this year, Paez Shared his preparation for this game.

“I’ve been trying to do everything right. I’ve been doing more boxing training. I’ve got to be really smart with my training, so I’m more aware of recovery, mental state and all the factors leading up to a fight.”

Diego Paez aims for signature finish against Black Panther

Diego Paz hopes to receive $50,000 performance bonus in next game, which could Compared to Black Panther, it has a highlight effect.

The Colombian-American forward told ONE:

“I really want to finish. I’m used to five-round fights, so these three rounds, I need to start faster. I feel like having this body in front of me is also a perfect matchup because he’s a tough guy and it’s not easy for the Thai to finish, so I’m excited to go out and perform.”

North American Prime Video subscribers can stream ONE Fight Night 40 for free during prime time in the United States.