ONE Championship: Malaysia’s Jihin Radzuan expects to challenge champ Angela Lee in ‘another two or three matches’

Radzuan moved on to a three-fight streak with an upset decision over Itsuki Hirata at ONE X last month

Now ranked No 5 at atomweight, Malaysian is ‘not looking for easy fights’ and expects ‘somebody in the rankings’ next

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Malaysian atomweight Jihin Radzuan prepares for a fight. Photo: ONE Championship.

Published: 2:35pm, 16 Apr 2022

If you had asked Jihin Radzuan about fighting ONE atomweight champion Angela Lee a few years ago, she would have told you she was not ready.

But after her latest victory, the 23-year-old Malaysian believes a fight with the champ is inevitable.

“Someday in the future I will be there,” she told the Post. “I’m feeling ready now – not now, but another two or three matches and I’m probably going to match up with her.”

Radzuan (8-2) returned to the ONE Championship Circle on the stacked ONE X card last month in Singapore, where she defeated formerly unbeaten Japanese judoka Itsuki Hirata (5-1) by decision.

“It’s a very good thing for me,” she said of the win. “Of course I’m very happy with my performance.”

The win in Singapore was Radzuan’s third in a row after a pair of decision triumphs over Mei Yamaguchi and Bi Nguyen, and enough to earn her the No 5 spot in ONE’s atomweight rankings.

Malaysian atomweight Jihin Radzuan celebrates an upset victory over Japan’s Itsuki Hirata at ONE X on March 26 in Singapore. Photo: ONE Championship.

Radzuan could leap into any number of high-profile matchups from that enviable vantage point.