Mansur Malachiev knows if he plays his cards right against former ONE strawweight champion Joshua Pacio, he could place himself on the verge of earning a world title shot.
Both men are set to collide on the undercard of ONE Fight Night 15, emanating live from the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand this Saturday, October 7.
The undefeated Russian put the entire division on notice by beating ex-ranked contender Jeremy Miado via first-round submission this past June. This victory earned him the No. 5 spot in the rankings.
Even though his bout this weekend marks only his second appearance under the promotion’s banner, he understands that prevailing over Pacio is sufficient to demonstrate his qualifications for a date with current kingpin Jarred Brooks.
“I feel good. I’m fired up for this fight. He’s an experienced fighter and was the world champion in ONE, so I’m training hard to beat him,” Malachiev said.
“A win over Pacio would be a major win for me on my way to the big goal—the ONE belt. My opponent is No. 1 [contender] in the division, and a win over him would bring me closer to a world title fight.”
Malachiev is expected to have his hands full in the pivotal encounter opposite Pacio.
Despite his disappointing loss to Brooks in December 2022, many still regard “The Passion” as the most dominant strawweight to ever grace the organization.
Pacio boasts two championship reigns and has figured in eight world title contests to go along with three successful defenses.
The 27-year-old superstar from Baguio City also possesses an outstanding record of 20-4, with nine victories coming by way of knockout and eight via submission.
In addition to his extensive experience, Pacio poses to be formidable opponent with his explosive striking and exceptional takedown defense.
Malachiev acknowledges Pacio’s outstanding track record, but the Makhachkala, Dagestan resident believes that Filipino hasn’t faced a competitor of his caliber thus far.
“In his arsenal, he has striking and very good wrestling defense, but my wrestling is on a whole different level. We’ll see if he can defend against it. I have been honing my skills for years among the best wrestlers in Dagestan. I’m experienced enough to out-wrestle anyone, and Pacio is no exception.”
Brimming with confidence, Malachiev envisions of pulling off the upset at Pacio’s expense at ONE Fight Night 15.
“I think I have all the skills to win. I’m ready for all three rounds, but I plan on finishing Pacio early. I’ll tell [the fans] not to blink as it’s going to be a very entertaining and beautiful fight,” he declared.
