Rodtang Jitmuangong once again proved his class as he beat the UK’s Jacob Smith. One Championships 157 took place in Singapore’s Indoor Stadium in a bloody affair. This moves Rodtang into the semi-finals of the One Championship flyweight Grand Prix.
Rodtang Jitmuangong vs Jacob Smith
The first round got underway with both men exchanging the almost obligatory leg kicks, with it being noted that the first round is an important time for Smith to gain respect. Rodtang found early success with straight shots to counter Smith’s wide hooks. Smith perceived with leg kicks, though and Rodtang tried to counter with short elbows and uppercuts.
Smith made a huge mistake late in the first, taking a backstep that the Thai fighter then took as an invitation. He stepped in, cracking Smith with a hook and catching him with straights and elbow, bloodying the Brit up.
The second round got underway, and Rodtang almost immediately found numerous hard right hooks before both men fell in a trip. Rodding began to loosen up more, landing with more and more as the round went on. Jacob Smith, however, stayed resilient, refusing to take a breather. Rodtang managed to set himself apart through his strength in close-range battles. Smith himself landed a few nices strikes, but nothing to trouble the Thai.
Jacob Smith looked worse for wear in the third, with cuts everywhere plus a broken nose. Rodtang managed to control the fighting range, stepping in and slicing at Smith with elbows with precise timing. Thailand’s Rodtang caught a kick and countered with a 1-2, once again bloodying Smith’s nose. Rodtang finished strong, earning a clear victory by unanimous decision.
Are you backing Rodtang to win the tournament? Where does Smith go from here?
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Featured image credits to One Championship
