London’s Marie McManamon returns to ONE Championship action, live on SportNews, when she fights Selina Flores on October 4.
ONE world title challenger McManamon takes on WBC Muay Thai world champion Flores at the famous Lumpinee Stadium in Thailand.
"I'm ready to prove I'm a serious contender. On October 4, I'm not just showing up to fight - I'm showing up to make a statement," McManamon told SportNews.
"ONE Championship is an unbelievable platform to compete on, and even though the result didn't go my way last time, the whole experience was incredible. Selina is a WBC super-bantamweight world champion, she's competed on huge shows around the world, and she's a very formidable opponent. I respect her a lot, but I'm ready.
"This is her first fight in four-ounce gloves, and that's a very different environment. I think that's where my experience gives me an edge," she added.
"Think it will be a really exciting match, I think our styles will complement each other to give the fans a thrilling fight. I think this fight has all the ingredients to be exciting. Our styles will push each other and give fans something special to watch."
In McManamon's last fight she challenged ONE Championship's outstanding atomweight world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues. The Brazilian overpowered McManamon but the Londoner will learn from the experience.
"It was always going to be a tough fight - that's what competing at the very top level demands. The four-ounce gloves completely change the game, and one of the biggest lessons for me was that I can't afford to just stand there and trade," McManamon said.
"But what I also discovered about myself is that even in the trenches, when I was asked if I could keep going, I said yes. I didn't quit. That resilience is something I'm proud of and something I'm carrying into this next chapter."
She will continue her quest to become the first woman from the UK to win a ONE Championship world title.
"The atomweight division is absolutely stacked, and it's probably the most exciting it's ever been. With new talent coming in like Selina [Flores], the return of Stamp [Fairtex], and even the ONE Friday Fights showcases, you're genuinely looking at the best fighters in the world. For me, it's about taking one fight at a time, giving everything to each performance, and giving my all to that," McManamon said.
"A victory here is everything. It puts me right back in the conversation at the top of the division and shows that I'm not just here to compete. This fight is a statement and winning it will open the door to the biggest opportunities in ONE Championship."
In the main event, the best strawweight striker from the East meets the greatest strawweight striker from the West in a high-stakes rematch for the undisputed ONE strawweight kickboxing world title when Prajanchai PK Saenchai takes on former kickboxing titleholder Jonathan Di Bella.
Watch Marie McManamon vs Selina Flores live on SportNews on October 4.
