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Marat Grigorian heard enough trash talk from Rukiya Anpo during their press conference confrontation, and now he’s ready to deliver a brutal reality check inside the Circle.
The Armenian battles the former three-time K-1 Champion in featherweight kickboxing action at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16, inside Ariake Arena at Tokyo, Japan. Tension between the fighters reached a boiling point during the September press conference.
There, Anpo dismissed Grigorian as predictable and one-dimensional. The Hemmers Gym product maintained his composure during the heated exchange, but the disrespect has been burning inside him ever since.
Grigorian plans to make the promotional newcomer pay dearly for his trash talk. The 34-year-old has faced the world’s best strikers for nearly two decades, even challenging twice for ONE Championship gold while holding victories over legendary names like Superbon and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong.
The Armenian believes Anpo is merely masking his fear behind bold claims. His experience navigating high-pressure situations against elite competition gives him confidence that the Japanese fighter’s bravado will crumble when the door closes. The 29-year-old promotional newcomer will discover exactly who stands across from him.
“He’s been talking a lot, hasn’t he? He’s delusional. He thinks he can just come, beat me up, and finish me like I’m nothing. Everyone knows that I’m much better than what he thinks I am,” he said.
“When people talk [badly] about me, I’ll make them pay. As the days get shorter, he will understand who he’s gonna face. I will bring hell, and he will feel the pain.”
Marat Grigorian refuses to let fight reach judges’ scorecards
Marat Grigorian made it clear he’s not interested in going the distance in this high-stakes featherweight kickboxing affair. The Antwerp-based warrior has accumulated 36 knockouts from 68 career victories throughout his decorated career. He wants violence against Anpo. And he promises to inflict punishment that will make the Japanese fighter regret every word he said.
His training camp centered around Anpo’s pace while maintaining the power and precision that carried him to multiple World Championships. Nick Hemmers, founder and head coach of Hemmers Gym in Breda, Netherlands, ensured his star pupil doesn’t underestimate what the promotional newcomer brings to the table.
Grigorian dissected Anpo’s footage extensively and expects the former K-1 stud to use movement and speed initially before potentially fighting on the back foot when pressure mounts. He prepared for scenarios where the Japanese fighter attempts to frustrate him with constant lateral movement.
Beyond the personal animosity lies an even bigger prize. Reigning ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon faces interim titleholder Masaaki Noiri in the main event unification bout. Grigorian wants the winner of that clash, and after falling short of his World Title dreams twice, the Dutch-kickboxing stylist believes the third time will be the charm.
“I think it’s just his way to hide his fear – the fear that he knows what will be in front of him in Tokyo,” Grigorian said.
“With my output, I will go through his chin. I just want to beat him up really badly. I just want to feel his chin on my knuckles.”
