All legends are icons, but not all icons are legends.
Nong-O Hama wants to prove this point when he faces Rodtang Jitmuangnon for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title. The two generational stars collide at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, at Ariake Arena on November 16.
With a record of over 330 fights, Nong-O has built a reputation that is decades old. And although Rodtang is arguably the more recognizable name in Muay Thai today, Nong-O is much more accomplished.
Over the course of his storied career, he won four titles at Lumpinee Stadium, one at Rajadamnern Stadium, and received three Fighter of the Year awards from the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Sports Writers Association of Thailand.
Nong-O did all this before becoming the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, a title he defended seven times.
Even with all those accolades, Nong-O will be up against a modern-day icon. Rodtang may not have the same number of belts, but he has character and a granite chin, which has put him up there with the likes of Saenchai and Buakaw as far as global stardom. These feats aren’t loss on Nong-O.
“Rodtang is a durable fighter. He is tough. Some might view him [simply] as an aggressive fighter. For me, Rodtang has a really high fight IQ, and that is intimidating. I see him as an intelligent boxer in terms of [improvising],” Nong-O said.
“His most powerful weapon is his fists. Those nice fists can give people knockouts. He has great weapons, and he can bring the roar out of the audience.”
Before his time in ONE Championship, Nong-O wasn’t necessarily known as a knockout artist. Fact is, most of his wins came by decision. After joining ONE, he reeled off five straight knockout victories during his most impressive stretch.
But even he knows that scoring a knockout on Rodtang would be a near-impossible feat.
“It would be really challenging to have a knockout in this fight. So, I would love to win by [decision]. But if there is good timing, I would totally go for the knockout because I’ve been preparing so many forms of strikes,” he said.
Instead of risking it all for a finish, Nong-O plans to take a more cerebral approach in his upcoming fight against Rodtang.
In addition to using his trademark counter punches, the man with the sharpest straight right punch in ONE is going to rely on IQ to win the strategic war.
“Personally, I do not see any weakness. His force, his physical condition, his IQ, and his skills [are all good],” Nong-O said.
“For this upcoming fight, it’s all about the wit. We will see who is better at improvising and who can snatch their precise timing first.”
Improvising and timing — sounds familiar from a man who has built a terrifying track record of winning by mastering those two aspects of the fight. If he can pull it off one more time, Nong-O will solidify his place in the world of Muay Thai.
But he’s also soberly realistic about all the potential outcomes, especially the one that sees him pass on his status to Rodtang.
“I think both of us can make this fight really entertaining. After this fight, if he wins, he’s going to be a legend,” Nong-O said.
“If I beat Rodtang in this upcoming fight, I would like to send a message to all fighters that your age or your fight experience are not your obstacles. Because it is all on your determination and your passion.”