Marat Grigorian’s pressure, aggression, and thirst for putting on a show have been the hallmark of his career, and the three-time Glory kickboxing world champion is ready to bring that fan-friendly style to The Inner Circle 25.
The 35-year-old squares off against Russian fighter Mamuka Usubyan in a quarterfinal matchup of the ONE SAMURAI Featherweight Kickboxing Tournament, which takes place on the Asia primetime card in Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, August 7.
Ahead of his return, the Hemmers Gym star held nothing back when asked about what he intends to display on fight night. He said:
“I’m really prepared to destroy him. I will break him mentally and physically. When I step in the ring, I want to fight. I want to hurt my opponent. I want to give everything I can possibly give.”
As confident as Grigorian sounds, the Belgium-based star isn’t downplaying the danger that awaits him in Bangkok later this week. The 70-win veteran respects Usubyan’s skill set, but thinks the Russian lacks game time against experienced names. The Armenian continued:
“He’s a good fighter. He’s doing very well. He has good power and good moves. But I don’t think he has enough firepower inside the pocket. I’ve noticed that he can’t handle pressure. He makes big mistakes whenever he faces pressure.”
Grigorian ready to go all the way in the tournament
Usubyan aside, Grigorian is excited to be part of the eight-man tournament – a format the Armenian admits made him fall in love with the sport. He offered:
“I’m very happy to be part of this. It’s a beautiful tournament with a lot of talented guys. I love these tournament-style formats. These kinda competitions are a large part of why I fell in love with the sport – from being a fan to a fighter who participated in a few tournaments. For this one, I really want to win it.”
Beyond the tough tests that await the knockout specialist, Grigorian is determined to earn a shot at the ONE featherweight kickboxing world title, currently in possession of longtime nemesis Superbon.
However, he made clear that reigniting a rivalry with the Thai isn’t at the top of his to-do list. The 35-year-old added:
“I don’t really care about facing Superbon anymore. Now, the goal is to put on good fights every time I’m in the ring and win this tournament – that’s the most important thing for me right now.”
