Elias Mahmoudi Captures Big Win Against Denis Puric at ONE Fight Night 26
Algeria’s Elias Mahmoudi picked up his third straight win in ONE Championship, knocking out Denis Puric with two seconds to go in the Muay Thai bout.
The Algerian star finished the cornered ultra-aggressive veteran with a combination of four punches followed with a knee strike.
Puric, who entered the fight as the third-ranked athlete in the flyweight Muay Thai division, dominated the first round, showing his boxing skills to wobble the Algerian.
Mahmoudi regained control of the fight in the second round, using the clinch to close the distance and strike with clean elbows to the head before dropping his opponent midway through the round.
Seconds away from the end of the second round, Mahmoudi unintentionally hit an unlawful elbow to the back of the head after which Puric immediately collapsed. The referee called time as the medics checked his physical state. Puric decided to continue the bout.
In the third round, both men searched for the knockout. While Puric landed some impressive boxing combinations, Mahmoudi was more efficient in his attacks, forcing his opponent onto the backfoot in several instances, and unleashing vicious shots to his head and body.
Puric tried to avoid Mahmoudi’s attacks in every way possible, including unlawfully turning his back to his opponent, forcing the referee to issue a yellow card.
With seconds remaining on the clock, Mahmoudi cornered Puric and landed punches to the head and body before striking with a knee to the head that knocked out his opponent.
With this win, Mahmoudi raises his overall professional record to 35-7. The Algerian, who entered as the fifth-ranked athlete in the flyweight Muay Thai division, makes a good case for himself as a serious contender for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai world championship.
