ONE Championship: Danial Williams still chasing MMA, kickboxing, Muay Thai titles despite ‘humbling’ Superlek loss
- Williams admits knockout by ONE flyweight kickboxing king Superlek was a ‘reality check’ but vows to ‘keep on going’
- Australian accepted fight with heavier champion on less than a week’s notice, after late withdrawal of Rodtang through injury
Danial Williams’ flyweight kickboxing title fight with Superlek did not go the way he hoped – but he is undeterred.
The Australian, who typically competes in the lighter strawweight division, challenged Thai champion Superlek for flyweight gold in the main event of ONE Championship Fight Night 8 last Saturday in Singapore.
Williams had originally been set to meet Rui Botelho in a strawweight Muay Thai bout on the card, but when Rodtang Jitmuangnon was forced to pull out of a planned fight with Superlek, the Australian agreed to challenge the champion in a different discipline at a heavier weight – all on less than a week’s notice.
It was a bold gamble from the 29-year-old, and he was not without his moments in the fight, but he was ultimately knocked out by the larger kickboxing champion in round three. It was a kick that started the final sequence, and a swarm of punches that ended it.
Several days after the loss, Williams took to his official Instagram account to reflect.
“I took a fight which I didn’t need to accept against a huge name of the sport in the upper weight class on a few days notice,” he wrote. “Being a fan [Superlek] prior, I’ve joked about fighting him in the past. Although it was initially a joke, there is massive truth about wanting it to happen and on Saturday I got what I wanted.
“I knew the risk and disadvantages I was taking but I saw this as a chance to shock the martial arts world and steal his thunder. I backed myself and felt good about it, creating this false sense of confidence for myself that I can do this.