“The Iron Man” Rodtang Jitmuangnon’s next fight has been confirmed for ONE 167 on Jun. 8 against “The Bosnian Menace” Denis Puric. This will be a kickboxing match in the flyweight division.
Both Rodtang and Puric have extensive striking backgrounds in Muay Thai. Thailand’s “The Iron Man” has picked up multiple titles including the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai world championship, plus five defenses. Puric has earned world title in both Taekwondo and Muay Thai.
Since entering ONE Championship in 2022, Puric has been seeking the fight against Rodtang. With two consecutive wins in Muay Thai, the Bosnian-Canadian has now earned his shot against the striking star Rodtang. In an interview with ONE Championship, he said:
“During COVID, I was watching ONE Championship, and I saw this Rodtang guy smashing everybody, and all I could think of was, ‘I need to fight this guy.’ As soon as Thailand opened their borders, I said, ‘I’m heading over there and try to get that ONE Championship contract. I don’t care who they put in front of me, but my ultimate goal is Rodtang.’ Two months after that, I got the contract, and here we are, still chasing that fight.”
Between Kickboxing and Muay Thai, “The Iron Man” has put together 271 victories since starting his professional career when he was just seven years old. Most recently, he is coming off of a Muay Thai loss to Superlek in a closely fought match.
Born to Bosnian parents in Slovenia, Puric’s early years were upended by the onset of the Yugoslav Wars in 1992, forcing his family to relocate. His childhood was marked by adversity, living in refugee camps and coping with the constant fear for his family’s safety. Puric found solace in martial arts, starting with karate lessons in a refugee camp and later continuing with taekwondo when his family briefly returned to Slovenia. The family’s search for safety eventually led them to Canada where he committed more combat sports and found his way to Muay Thai.
At ONE 167, Puric will look to capture the opportunity of a lifetime as he faces “The Iron Man” on Jun. 8 in ONE Championship.