ONE Championship has a red-hot featherweight division, and #3-ranked contender Ilya Freymanov is looking to build upon his debut knockout over Martin Nguyen at ONE Fight Night 11 on June 9. The 27-year-old Russian will battle one of the division’s most exciting athletes, Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg, at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, and Freymanov is already taking note of the slick stand-up of the Mongolian.
Russia’s Freymanov Looks to Score Epic Finish at ONE Fight Night 11
“I think Shinechagtga is a strong opponent. He has dangerous hands. Like Martin, he relies heavily on his striking. He prioritizes it. Shinechagtga might be more diverse, he has experience in classical boxing, and his footwork might be better. It appears that Shinechagtga is a skilled boxer,” Freymanov told ONE.
While Freymanov is complimentary of Shinechagtga’s power striking, he also notes the differences between this match and his debut. When the Russian jumped onto the global stage and knocked off Nguyen, he shook up the division. Freymanov’s composure allowed him to hang with the elite, and that is something he is not sure that his Mongolian counterpart has in his tool kit just yet.
“They are two fighters of different caliber. Martin is more experienced and went through some tough fights, big fights, and was a double champion for a reason. As for Shinechagtga, he is younger, emotional, and less experienced in fighting,” Freymanov expressed.
The 27-year-old is not just coming for the win. He is coming for the money. With an exciting style that is always seeking the finish, Freymanov wants to collect performance bonus money to make the night even sweeter in Bangkok.
“Personally, I always try to finish the fight early and pick up the bonus, no matter who stands across from me and what game he tries to impose on me. An ideal scenario is to end this fight early, get a double bonus of US$100,000, and then fight for the belt next. Now, that would be perfect,” the Russian said.
If the ranked featherweight contender can run his win streak to five, with two victories on ONE’s global platform, his status as a title threat will be secured. The #3-ranked contender arrived in ONE with dreams of becoming a World Champion. That is why he is already looking forward to a match with the winner of Tang Kai vs. Thanh Le.
While Freymanov is fine mixing it up with either man, he wants the American to prevail. The 27-year-old cites Le’s more well-known profile as a major reason he wants to square off with him for the gold. The Russian wants to keep expanding his footprint and claim the title in the most high-profile way possible, but to get that chance, he’ll need to win on June 9.
“I am ready to fight a challenger, a champion, or someone with good media exposure. My dream opponent will be the winner of the Tang Kai vs. Thanh Le rematch. If Thanh wins, it would be ideal for me. He is well known. I would love the challenge of fighting him,” Freymanov said.
ONE Fight Night 11 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, June 9. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all U.S. and Canadian Amazon Prime members.
