Lithuanian kickboxing star Sergej “Kuvalda” Maslobojev will make his second appearance in ONE Super Series looking to make it two wins in a row in ONE Championship’s all-new striking league.
The three-time kickboxing world champion will take on Frenchman Florent Kaouachi at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER on Friday, 13 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in a bid to score another impressive victory and position himself as a top contender for a World Title.
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Maslobojev’s ONE Super Series debut saw him defeat 2017 K-1 World Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion Antonio Plazibat over three exciting rounds at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.
Now he is all set to make his return, and he can’t wait to jump back into the mix again.
“I want to get back as soon as possible,” the 31-year-old said after his victory.
“The ONE Super Series World Title has become my number one goal. It is my main mission to be the World Champion, and this win was just the first thing I had to conquer.”
This time, things will be different. After facing a heavyweight in a catch weight bout for his first match-up, Maslobojev is dropping to middleweight and competing in smaller gloves, as he takes on Kaouachi in Kuala Lumpur.
“This bout is going to be contested in 4-ounce gloves,” he says.
“This will be different. It is not just a kickboxing bout. It will mean a different stance, movement – everything. It is going to be something new.
“It can be fifty-fifty closing the distance with these gloves and looking for the knockout.”
That last statement comes from his experience in mixed martial arts, where athletes wear smaller, 4-ounce gloves that allow the combatants to strike and grapple.
The smaller gloves can often lead to quicker knockouts, too, and Maslobojev – a fan of legendary knockout artists like Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Wanderlei Silva – is excited about the opportunity that stands ahead of him.
The Lithuanian kickboxing star says his aim is clear – become a ONE Super Series World Champion.
“I take each bout as a new experience and prepare for it differently, but I am really confident,” he explains.
“I am planning to do big things with this organisation, so I will do my best to one day have the belt around my waist.
“The only thing I can say is, let the best man win. It will not be easy for him, that’s for sure.”
