Nico Carrillo is able to shed the heartbreak from his first loss beneath the ONE Championship banner.
In January, ‘The King of the North’ stepped contained in the Circle as a heavy favourite to go away because the ONE interim bantamweight kickboxing world champion towards substitute opponent Nabil Anane. As a substitute, Anane took residence the gold, scoring a jaw-dropping first-round TKO over Carrillo contained in the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
“I used to be devastated. I’d by no means wished the clocks to show again a lot,” Carrillo advised ONE whereas trying again on the devastating defeat.
“The one factor I wished to do in life at that time was flip the clocks again, and I knew I couldn’t. It broke my coronary heart. I’ve by no means been as heartbroken as I used to be that night time. I’d have taken a member of the family dying a lot simpler than I took that defeat, but it surely’s now a reminder of what can occur on this sport.”
For sure, it was a tricky capsule for Carrillo to swallow, and one which he instantly wished to rectify. Sadly, with no combat but booked and no coaching schedule in place, the Scot discovered himself bouncing off the partitions whereas ready for one thing to come back down the pike.
“If you get beat, the one factor you need to do is get proper again to it,” Carrillo continued. “However I dwell in Scotland. I don’t have any nice sparring companions or trainers outdoors of my fast coaching circle. My coach is in Thailand quite a bit, too.
“For a number of weeks, I used to be pulling my hair out ready for information. I can’t simply disappear to Thailand. I’ve obligations right here. It simply made me notice that coaching and preventing Muay Thai is the one factor that makes me completely happy. It’s all that has mattered to me since that day. I’m dying to proper that mistaken.”
Nico Carrillo returns to motion towards Sitthichai at ONE Struggle Evening 30
This Friday, April 4, Carrillo will get his shot at redemption when he meets Thai icon Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong at ONE Struggle Evening 30 on Prime Video.
Not solely will or not it’s Carrillo’s first time making an attempt to bounce again from a loss contained in the Circle, however it is going to additionally function his featherweight Muay Thai debut. Beforehand, Carrillo competed at bantamweight, however after scuffling with the burden lower forward of his combat with Anane, ‘The King of the North’ knew it was time to maneuver up.
“I’ve put the teachings of loss into observe,” Carrillo mentioned. “I’m prepared to point out the world it was a one-off. Because of this, I’ve truly gone again to try to grasp Muay Thai and never simply knock folks’s heads off with my boxing.
“I’ve gone again to how I used to combat, partaking within the full powers of Muay Thai with my heavy kicks as a substitute of simply boxing with [4-ounce] MMA gloves on. However the largest lesson was to take heed to your physique and by no means put it beneath that stress once more versus folks on the highest degree.”
Total, Nico Carrillo is 27-4-1 in his profession along with his final 4 wins all coming in ONE Championship and all ending inside the gap. His opponent at ONE Struggle Evening 30, Sitthichai, is a former eight-time titleholder in kickboxing and the artwork of eight limbs with 129 profession wins to his credit score.
Sitthichai at the moment sits because the No. 4 ranked contender in ONE’s featherweight Muay Thai division.
