Nico Carrillo Believes His “Vicious” Power Is What Separates Him From Every Featherweight
Six previous ONE Championship victories. All six via stoppage. Five in the second round. One in the third against Furkan Karabag, proving power doesn’t fade when rounds accumulate. Now Nico Carrillo owns interim featherweight Muay Thai gold after his fourth-round knockdown of Shadow Singha Mawynn shifted momentum permanently at ONE Fight Night 40, and the Scottish warrior believes one thing separates him from everyone else in the division — explosiveness that transforms fists into finishing weapons.
“I’m simply more explosive than all these guys. The four-ounce gloves are a big help, too,” Carrillo explained. “Most people assume I’m just cruising past everyone with something gifted to me, but I still work very hard to make sure my power is vicious. Being explosive takes so much out of your gas tank, and to try and be that explosive with the same knockout power across three rounds – three minutes each round – is not easy. But I can do that, and that’s a product of my hard work.”
Hard work that began on Europe’s regional circuit, where Carrillo knocked people out before securing five-round decisions that taught him durability matters alongside power. No single moment crystallized when he realized his hands carried different weight than opponents’ fists — just gradual accumulation of evidence through bodies dropping and referees waving off contests before final bells.
The 27-year-old Glasgow native views his fists as instruments of strategic inevitability rather than lucky genetic lottery. “I feel like whenever you’re in there, in the ring, your hands are your license to kill. So, I feel it’s just the best option,” Carrillo said. “I know I have some power in my hands, so why not just use it right away? I’m always confident that no one can stay up once they take damage from my fists.”
That confidence manifests through combinations that bait opponents with knees, elbows, and kicks before boxing closes distance and ends fights. Every opponent arrives with gameplans built around surviving Carrillo’s hands. Some avoid it for rounds. None except Shadow and Nabil Anane have neutralized it entirely across full fights. Whether that knowledge creates fear before opening bells is something Carrillo acknowledges might provide psychological advantages, but he refuses to rely on intimidation over preparation.
“I don’t think of it that way, but I suppose it does kind of give me an advantage in some ways, like they’re going to show fear in there,” Carrillo admitted. “But to be honest, I don’t really think of it like that. I’m always prepared for everyone to be the best versions of themselves, and I’ll be the best version of myself. And the valiant one always wins.”
READ MORE: Chisora vs Wilder: Full event details, fight card, date, venue and streaming info
Recent posts
