Jacob Smith made an impact in his ONE Championship debut in 2022. In a losing effort, Smith challenged Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon and put on a show. However, he has been absent from the scene ever since.
That will change on Friday, December 8th. The Brit returns for a flyweight encounter with Walter Goncalves at ONE Fight Night 17 on Prime Video. In an interview with ONE Championship, Smith talked about the frustrating year that prevented his return.
Jacob Smith: “I’m coming for that 50 bags.”
“I’ve had a nightmare of a year, to be honest with you. Just injury after injury, one little thing after another, so it’s good to be back. The way I am, no matter what, I’ve got to stay active. I’ve got to train. I was still kicking every single day when I couldn’t punch. Thai boxing is my life, so even though I haven’t been able to fight, I’ve got my own gym, and I’ve been putting more hours in there and concentrating on coaching my own fighters,” Smith told ONE.
Goncalves had his own exciting bout with Rodtang. “Iron Hands” showed himself well and has continued to seek a rematch with the Thai striker. It makes the Muay Thai showdown a critical match for both men as they look up at “The Iron Man” from the base of the flyweight mountain.
With Goncalves’ ranking in the division, Smith sees the opportunity that presents itself in Bangkok, Thailand. The British athlete has eyes on making waves now that he is back in action. With such high stakes at ONE Fight Night 17, Smith has been putting in the work in the gym to prepare for the moment.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Walter. He’s a great fighter. There’s no denying that. I’m training for him like I was training for Rodtang, like I would be training if I was to fight Superlek [Kiatmoo9]. And I’m going to carry on training like that because, at the end of the day, it’s a career-turning fight for me. He’s number-two ranked, so he’s right up there,” Smith ensured.
Smith has been dutifully watching film to prepare for what the Brazilian brings to the table. Smith said he had noticed small details in his opponent’s game and would not be drawn into his game plan. Instead, he will take control of the action and dictate the pace of the fight.
“I think against Walter, there’s no point in chasing him around and walking forward at him in a straight line just looking to take his head off because his movement’s really good and he’s super fast. I think for probably the first round and a half, he’s super dangerous as well. He carries a lot more power than people give him respect for,” Smith said.
Although Smith stopped short of guaranteeing a victory, he was steadfast in his belief that he holds advantages over Goncalves. More importantly, the English striker ensured fans he would make it an exciting contest on December 8. With his eyes on jumping into the title hunt, Smith wants a $50,000 performance bonus to keep pushing him forward.
“Let me just tell you something: I respect Walter 100 percent. I think he’s a great fighter. I think it’s a hard fight, but I’m coming for that 50 bags. Simple as that. I think I’m physically stronger, I’m probably the bigger man in general, and I punch and kick harder than him,” Smith stated.
ONE Fight Night 17 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, December 8th. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
