Chingiz Allazov cemented his status as the pound-for-pound best kickboxer with his victory over Marat Grigorian at ONE Fight Night 13. The unanimous decision victory showed his full array of skills, as Allazov shined defensively against the Armenian. Given Grigorian’s past victory over “Chinga”, it was important for him to level the score on the global stage of ONE Championship.
“This was a hard fight. [Winning] was one of the best moments of my career. For me, it was important. The belt was not important, only beating Marat Grigorian. That’s what was important for my life, my career, and my legacy,” Allazov told ONE.
But it was not all easy sailing for the reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion. Just days before the bout, he questioned if he would even compete. However, Allazov decided to continue onward and showed his mental toughness in a five-round battle with his latest challenger.
“My mind was weak because last week, I had a problem in my family. Three days before the fight, in my mind, I said, ‘Maybe I won’t fight.’ But I told myself, ‘No, Chingiz. You’re ready for this fight. Go forward. God gave you this fight.’ I told myself I will win. I said, ‘Thank you, God, for helping me on this day,” Allazov said.
After another title defense, the question of who’s next must be asked. There are no shortage of options in the deepest division in martial arts. However, given his win in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix and two title tilts, new opponents are few and far between.
At the top of the list are two superstars — Giorgio Petrosyan and Tawanchai PK Saenchai. Petrosyan has not returned to action since losing to Superbon Singha Mawynn but remains one of the all-time greats in the sport. Tawanchai, the featherweight Muay Thai king, recently debuted in ONE’s kickboxing division to set the course for a future battle.
“I like one fight, my dream fight, maybe. I want to fight Giorgio Petrosyan. Maybe he’s ready to fight. God will help me win this fight. It’s the last fight in my mind. I don’t want to talk about Tawanchai. I’ll say one thing: he’s one of the best strikers in the world. He’s the best Muay Thai fighter. In kickboxing, he’s not the best. But he’s a really talented fighter. I have only respect for him. I don’t know if we will fight or not,” Allazov admitted.
Regardless of who is next, Allazov’s victory helped secure his legacy. The Azerbaijan-born athlete has carved out his own legacy. Allazov says with his latest victory, he could call an end to his career but will need to assess all of his options when he returns home.
“Now, I’m pound-for-pound number one. This is my time. But I say today, maybe this is my last fight. I’ll go home, relax, and have a talk with my manager. I’ll talk with my coach. I’ll talk with my father. Maybe he will say to stop my career,” Allazov said.
