Superlek Refuses To Yield As He Seeks Redemption Against Abdulla Dayakaev
Superlek has a debt to settle, and after months of waiting, the time to collect has finally arrived.
The Thai megastar gets his shot at redemption in a bantamweight Muay Thai rematch against Abdulla Dayakaev at The Inner Circle 25 this Friday, August 7, live in Asia primetime, exclusively for subscribers.
Their first meeting at The Inner Circle 14 this past May began the way most Superlek fights do, with the veteran moving patiently and precisely. One explosive right hand from Dayakaev changed everything, sending him to the canvas and testing his equilibrium for the remainder of the fight.
“My plan went out the window early when I got caught by a solid punch,” Superlek said. “Once I took that hit, I was forced to chase the fight and make up ground, but I barely remember most of what happened after that.”
He fought back hard over the final two rounds, leaning on low kicks and clinch work to sweep momentum back in his favour. It was not enough to overturn the judges’ scorecards, and the split decision loss sparked fierce debate across the sport.
“I feel a sense of regret, though not disappointment,” he said. “I know I gave it everything I had. Once you get knocked down early, coming back for a win is always an uphill battle. I feel I handled the situation as best as I could.”
Superlek now carries the added weight of an uncharacteristic three-fight slump, and he knows a definitive statement is overdue.
“This fight will definitely not end the same way,” he declared. “I am 100 percent confident that I will avenge my loss and beat Abdulla this time. Our first fight was great, but this one will be completely different.”
His training camp has been built entirely around the lessons of that first encounter, sharpening the parts of his game that briefly failed him.
“Unless I’m completely knocked out cold, I will never give up,” he said. “I don’t yield to anyone inside that ring. No matter how much pain I’m in, if I can stand, I will get back up.”
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