Algeria’s Elias Mahmoudi is set to take on Japanese counterpart Taiki Naito in a Flyweight Kickboxing clash at ONE Championship event ONE Fight Night 24 on August 3 in what could be a pivotal clash for the weight division.
Despite being fifth in the ONE’s Flyweight Kickboxing rankings, the Algerian star was the next in line to face ONE Flyweight Kickboxing world champion Superlek Kiatmoo in January before being sidelined by an injury in the buildup to the contest.
Although nobody can doubt Mahmoudi’s big talent, he has struggled to deliver consistently since making his debut in January 2019. A 3-2 ONE record and several injuries have hampered his career at the martial arts organization.
This is why the 26-year-old’s next fight is his opportunity to solidify his status as a serious contender for the belt held by highflying megastar Superlek since January 2023.
But the man nicknamed “The Sniper”, who last knocked out Mexico’s Edgar Tabares within 1:38 of the first round last August, faces a real test in Naito. The athlete nicknamed “The Silent Sniper” may have lost his last fight in April, but he is still the third-ranked athlete in the division.
Mahmoudi will surely enter the battle of the snipers with one objective in mind: to outgun his Japanese counterpart and build the required momentum to mount the hotly anticipated title challenge for Superlek’s crown.
