BRAZILIAN challenger Luis “Sapo” Santos does not feel intimidated in facing unbeaten champion Ben “Funky” Askren, as their welterweight title showdown in ONE Championship’s “Valor of Champions” card at the Mall of Asia Arena on April 24 draws closer.
In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Santos (61-9-1 won-lost-draw, 35 knockouts) confidently stated that his dearth of cage-fighting experience with over 70 fights in a span of 15 years is more than enough to give him the victory.
“I have more experience than Ben Askren ever will be in his entire career. There is nothing that can faze me anymore,” Santos said. “Sure, he is an Olympian and great at wrestling, but I will test him like he has never been tested before.”
In his first fight under the ONE banner, Santos punched Azerbaijani Bakhtiyar Abbasov to submission in just 53 seconds during last November’s fight card in Singapore to set up the title showdown with Askren.
Boasting of a well-rounded game, Santos guarantees that he will be the first fighter who will stain Askren’s unblemished 14-0 mark.
“I can strike, I can grapple, I can submit Ben. There’s no position that I’m afraid of. If I stop his takedowns, I’ll knock him out. If he takes me down, I’ll tap him out. Either way, I’m leaving with his title,” Santos added.
“I am prepared for anything that happen. I will win this fight no matter how hard it is.”
Askren, however, refutes that Santos’s experience will gain no bearing in the fight, as he believes that his superior skill in the cage combined with his superb wrestling is a mismatch that will have him leave Manila with the belt on his waist.
“I think no matter how many fights you have, whether it’s twenty, or a hundred, or a thousand, I’m a unique matchup. There’s not anyone in the sport that does what I do. No matter how experienced he is, he’s never really felt the pressure and look I’m going to give him.”
“Even though he’s had 70 or some fights, when he steps in to the cage with me, it’s going to be something new for him and that new thing isn’t going to turn out very well for him,” added Askren.