"It is what it is" - Denis Puric says shocking TKO loss to Yodlekpet forced him to evolve as a fighter

Denis Puric has reflected on his disappointing Muay Thai loss against Yodlekpet.

In May 2023, Puric was matched up against Yodlekpet for a catchweight Muay Thai bout at ONE Friday Fights 17. At the time, 'The Bosnian Menace' was coming off his first promotional win against Tagir Khalilov and hoped to extend his record to 2-1 by taking out his Thai opponent.

Unfortunately for Puric, Yodlekpet better executed his game plan and emerged victorious by third-round knockout. A year later, the Bosnian looked back on the disappointing result by saying this during an interview with the South China Morning Post:

"Back in my head, I was trying to stay away from the kicks and just throwing hands. But really, I should have been kicking more to open up the hands. It is what it is. I would like to have a rematch and avenge [the loss] somewhere down the road with Yodlekpet."

Following his defeat in May 2023, Puric has bounced back with a second-round knockout win against Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat and a unanimous decision against Jacob Smith. As a result, the 39-year-old has received the biggest opportunity of his fighting career later this year.

Watch Denis Puric's interview with SCMP below:

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Can Denis Puric pull off the upset kickboxing win against Rodtang at ONE 167?

Denis Puric called for a flyweight Muay Thai world title shot against Rodtang shortly after getting his hand raised against Jacob Smith. Instead, ONE Championship gave him the opportunity to face 'The Iron Man' in a flyweight kickboxing bout on June 7 at ONE 167.

Puric has the power and aggressive fighting style to pull off a massive upset against Rodtang. It'll be easier said than done for 'The Bosnian Menice,' as the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion holds a 2-0 promotional kickboxing record after taking out Tagir Khalilov and Jiduo Yibu by decision.

ONE 167 will take place inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. The June 7 event featuring Rodtang vs Puric can be watched live and for free on US primetime with North American viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.