Kang Ji Won confident ahead of heavyweight battle: “I don’t see much difficulty”

Kang Ji Won enters his heavyweight battle against Ryugo Takeuchi with supreme confidence. The South Korean knockout artist has maintained a perfect finishing rate and aims to keep that streak alive.

The South Korean faces Takeuchi at ONE Fight Night 34: Eersel vs. Jarvis on Prime Video on Friday, August 1, inside Lumpinee Stadium at Bangkok, Thailand. The bout features two heavy-handed fighters looking to make their mark.

Kang has been paying close attention to his 22-year-old opponent. Takeuchi enjoyed a flawless start to his career in 2024, winning all four bouts in Japan’s DEEP promotion via TKO. Moreover, he tied the fastest stoppage in organization history, finishing Black Tiger in five seconds.

However, Takeuchi fell in his ONE Championship debut this past April, displaying heart in his tough loss to Paul Elliott. Subsequently, the setback provided valuable tape for Kang to study.

After analyzing the footage and witnessing his Japanese rival’s striking power, Kang believes he has found the key to victory. The South Korean’s confidence stems from identifying patterns in his opponent’s approach.

Significantly, Kang has never needed the judges in a ONE Championship win – all four victories came by knockout or TKO. His promotional debut was thrilling, as he swept Iranian wrestler Mehdi Barghi.

“Based on the tapes that I’ve seen, Ryugo Takeuchi tends to come in strong at the beginning. As long as I am careful at the start, I don’t see much difficulty moving forward,” he said.

Kang Ji Won reveals tactical fighting philosophy

Furthermore, Kang Ji Won’s confidence runs deeper than his knockout victories, and he has found success with a straightforward approach. When he steps into the ring against Ryugo Takeuchi, he’ll stick to the same tool that’s served him well.

The 29-year-old knockout artist has developed a versatile system that adapts to different opponent types. His philosophy centers on capitalizing on his natural advantages while remaining flexible.

Kang’s finishing ability stems from keeping things simple – stick to what works instead of changing everything. Similarly, the Wang Ho product treats every training session like he’s still proving himself.

A flawless finishing rate could go to a fighter’s head, but Kang remains humble and keeps grinding. He constantly tweaks his approach rather than maintaining his current level.

“My style focuses on counters with lots of movement in between. I think as long as I do what I do best, the result should be good,” he said.

“I’m good with my movement, capitalizing on my speed. I feel like I still have much to work on.”