Life is good for two-weight world champion Aung La N Sang.
“The Burmese Python” captured the ONE Middleweight World Title last year with a thrilling win over Vitaly Bigdash, then submitted hulking heavyweight Alain Ngalani in ONE Championship’s first-ever Open-Weight Super Bout.
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He then added the light-heavyweight world title to his collection with a stunning head-kick knockout of Alexandre Machado to become a two-division ONE World Champion.
On Friday, 29 June at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR, Aung La N Sang returns to his spiritual home of the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar to face former DEEP Openweight Champion Ken Hasegawa in his first middleweight World Title defence.
Myanmar’s only sporting world champion has been working tirelessly at his new training home of Hard Knocks 365 in Florida, USA, and says his preparations have been excellent ahead of his middleweight return.
“I feel perfect,” says the 33-year-old.
“Everything is feeling sharp and on point. I feel strong, my training camp is going great, and I have really good training partners.
“There is nothing Ken can do that I have not seen in training, and I am going to be able to deal with everything he throws at me. I am feeling confident, and I am ready to put on a good show.”
Aung La N Sang’s recent contests at Thuwunna Indoor Stadium have generated memorable atmospheres, as the Myanmar fans roared their hero to victory.
His last three bouts have been staged at the venue, and they have been the most impressive displays of “The Burmese Python’s” mixed martial arts career.
His most recent outing saw him claim a quick knockout victory against Machado, but Aung La N Sang says he wants his upcoming bout to be an extended affair.
“I am going to make it a long fight because that is what the Burmese people want,” he says.
In truth, that statement partly stems from the fact that he expects his opponent to be able to take him past the first five minutes. Hasegawa arrives in ONE Championship with a reputation that demands respect.
The 31-year-old Japanese athlete boasts a record of 16-2-1, with 10 of those wins coming inside the distance.
“Ken is a tough fighter,” says Aung La N Sang.
“He has good judo, good takedown skills, he can take punishment, and he can impose his game plan.
“The difficulty of fighting a guy like him is his awkwardness. Japanese fighters have awkward stances. That being said, I can [dominate] for 25 minutes. That is not a problem.
“Performing and putting on a show for the fans is what is most important to me, and I am very excited I am going to get to do that.”
“The Burmese Python” is excited to return, and you can be sure the fans inside the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium will greet their returning hero with a rapturous reception.
Victory would further cement his position as the nation’s premier sports star, as he looks to continue his reign as a two-weight world champion.
