'Babyface Killer' set for kickboxing war in Kuala Lumpur

The Russian striking sensation is familiar with his opponent’s accolades from his time competing in Thailand and cannot wait to finally cross paths with the Chinese star on Friday, 6 December, for the inaugural ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title.

“I have known him since 2017, and once we even fought on the same card. The guy is a Top King Muay Thai World Champion – he is a beast. I’ve always seen a lot of potential in him,” the 25-year-old said.

“I was sure he would go far because he had a series of good, solid wins. He went on to fight in America, Thailand, and China, and then he successfully debuted in ONE. Since he got into ONE, I could see it was inevitable that we would clash one day, and this day is nearly here.”

Zhang has been a phenomenal artist to watch, displaying near-dominant victories in all three appearances in The Home of Martial Arts.

The most thrilling of those wins came against Tyler Hardcastle at ONE: LEGENDARY QUEST in China in June. The local hero damaged his opponent from the opening bell, eventually knocking the Australian out cold courtesy of a booming right uppercut.

However, those performances do not worry Ramazanov. He believes in his ability to score a win, but at the same time admits the the Shengli Fight Club man is the perfect opponent for him to measure his career against.

“He has a very interesting style, but at the end of the day, he is a typical southpaw, which is convenient for me,” the Dagestani native offered.

“He is a good opponent for me, definitely a worthy one. He is one of China’s most promising martial artists right now, and he has three solid wins in ONE. He definitely deserves a shot at gold in ONE Super Series.”

Anything can happen when two young and hungry athletes clash for the biggest kickboxing prize on offer. Ramazanov is ready for anything, just as long as he leaves the ring in Kuala Lumpur with a new belt around his waist.

“I am preparing myself for a five-round fight. During the fight, anything may happen. Maybe it will be a five-round fight or maybe it will be a knockout.”