There is hunger, and then there is the kind that drives a twenty-two-year-old to cross continents and pursue greatness in a sport that wasn’t born in his homeland.
On Saturday, January 24, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Asadula Imangazaliev will make his U.S. primetime debut carrying a perfect 10-0 striking record and ambitions that extend beyond mere victory.
His opponent in this flyweight Muay Thai co-main event at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev is Kongthoranee Sor Sommai, a twenty-nine-year-old Thai veteran and two-time Rajadamnern Stadium champion who enters on a two-fight losing streak.
The twenty-two-year-old Russian from Dagestan earned his six-figure contract through a spectacular head-kick knockout of Panpayak Jitmuangnon in August 2025, and now seeks to prove that performance was statement rather than fluke.
Imangazaliev speaks with the certainty of a fighter who believes his moment has arrived.
“In this fight, I want to show that I am on a different level and that I am the main contender for the championship belt. My biggest strength is my unique style, which I have developed throughout my career. I enjoy delivering exciting and entertaining fights, but I believe I have not yet fully shown my complete skill set and true potential inside the [ring],” Imangazaliev said.
His assessment of Kongthoranee reveals a fighter who’s studied his opponent and found vulnerabilities worth exploiting.
One of them — he believes — happens to be his opponent’s reliance on counterattacks. It’s exactly this style that he feels will favor him come Saturday.
“For me, this style is actually convenient, because I know how to control the pace of the fight and create situations where I can impose my game. I plan to apply pressure from the very first seconds and break the fight in my favor. I am well prepared and ready to finish this fight early,” he said.
Yet even confidence requires respect when facing a two-time Rajadamnern Stadium champion.
“I understand that my opponent is very experienced, so I need to stay focused and sharp at all times. I feel that I am ready for this moment, ready to pass this level and move forward toward my goals,” he continued.
His championship ambitions provide the fuel that drives preparation beyond mere professional obligation.
In Bangkok, Imangazaliev will discover whether his hunger translates to dominance or whether Kongthoranee’s experience proves that champions on losing streaks fight with desperate intensity that neutralizes youthful ambition.
“My biggest advantage in this fight will be my hunger, my strong desire to win, and my goal of becoming the first ONE World Champion from Russia in Muay Thai. This goal motivates me every day and pushes me to give my maximum,” he said.
