John Lineker (left) and Fabricio Andrade..
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NE bantamweight world champion John “Hands of Stone” Lineker has weighed in on Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade following his performance against Kwon Won Il at ONE 158: Tawanchai vs. Larsen on June 3.
“Wonder Boy” dominated his South Korean rival at Singapore Indoor Stadium before calling out the new divisional king in his post-fight interview.
Brazilian brawler Lineker has been paying attention to his young compatriot, but he is unsure if Andrade is worthy of being the first challenger to his throne.
“To be very honest, I started to follow Fabricio just recently. What I saw in this fight [against Kwon] is that he knows how to focus. He managed to impose his strategy. I wasn’t impressed because he got a knockout. That can happen in [any] fight, especially between strikers. He’s a good fighter, but he didn’t impress me at all,” Lineker said.
“I don’t know if he did enough to earn a title shot. It’s not for me to say if he deserves a title shot. I’m prepared, I’m ready to fight anyone in the division. If ONE thinks he deserves it, I’m here waiting.”
Read Also: Andrade warns Lineker: ‘I deserve that gold’
The American Top Team fighter won the world title by knocking out rival Bibiano Fernandes earlier this year. He sparked the longtime titleholder with a left hand in the second round of their bout at ONE: LIGHTS OUT to usher in a new reign in the division.
For his part, Andrade is now on a five-fight winning streak in ONE, and he moved to the number-two-ranked contender spot in the bantamweight division following his decisive win over Kwon.
Lineker gives credit to "Wonder Boy" for his achievements, and though he believes the 24-year-old still has some challenges to overcome, he is certain that a fight between the two of them would be fireworks.
“Today, I am the champion. That already answers your question. He’s a good fighter. I don’t belittle him in any way, but he still has a lot to learn,” Lineker said.
“I believe it could be a great fight. A fight between two strikers is certainly very nice to see. It’s what fans like to watch, striking and punching all the time. If this fight against him happens, for sure, it will be a great show, with a real chance of being Fight of the Year.”
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This article is published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
