The athlete aptly nicknamed “Immortal” rose through the ranks in the lightweight division of Muay Thai and kickboxing, beating a number of strong fighters on his way to an incredible 9-0 record in the promotion here. May 2023.
However, 25-year-old Menshikov is looking to spoil the Surinamese party, and there’s no better place to do it than Bangkok’s famous Lumpini boxing stadium.
Ahead of this scheduled five-round bout, we take a look at three reasons why the Russian fighter could shock the world and take the belt from Ersel on June 9.
Menshikov is in the best shape of his life
Rejan Ersel’s 21 consecutive wins since March 2016 are impressive. But Menshikov also boasts of his winning streak since the winter of 2017.
The 25-year-old Russian has won 11 straight since December 2017.
More importantly, he faced some of the strongest fighters in the division – a good stat that shows his arsenal and his ability to leave Bangkok with a championship belt.
The Russian has incredible knockout power
Menshikov not only brings a positive dynamic to this duel with Regian Ersel. First of all, he can count on his incredible knockout power.
In an 11 win streak for the Empire Club star of Kuzbass, there are six worthy knockouts against fighters such as Robbie Hageman, Yoann Kongolo and Maxim Sulgin.
Menshikov is a smart fighter who relies on his footwork to evade his opponent’s punches and counterattack when it matters most. His right hand is always ready to deliver a distracting blow to the opponent, while his left has tremendous knockout power.
And if he doesn’t run out of steam trying to take down Ercel early in the fight, his strength will come in handy in the later rounds.
The duel with Ersel is the fight of a lifetime for Menshikov
Along with his confidence and punching power, Menshikov wants more than anything to win that world lightweight Muay Thai title.
Over the past nine years, the Russian has demonstrated his ability to perform in the biggest venues. But the ONE Championship will be the 25-year-old’s best chance to show he’s taken it to the next level and can put on epic performances in front of millions of fans.
<!–
Подпишитесь на Athletistic:
–>
Source: Sport
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
