Thai striking ace Shadow Singha Mawynn recalled receiving his title shot against Scottish powerhouse Nico Carrillo ahead of their clash for the ONE Interim Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE Fight Night 40 on 14 February.
The 25-year-old brings a 6-2 ONE record with three finishes into this career-defining showdown. Reigning ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai suffered a devastating leg injury in his last match, creating this interim championship opportunity.
Shadow expressed excitement upon learning he would compete for interim gold. The Thai striker never expected such a significant opportunity so early in his ONE Championship journey, making this moment even more special.
"When I found out it was going
to be an interim World Championship match, I was super excited. I had never expected to be in such a big fight. Even though it is an interim, it's still great for many," Shadow said.
The Singha Mawynn product has studied Carrillo extensively and acknowledges the Scottish powerhouse's dangerous attributes. Shadow recognizes his opponent's physical advantages and devastating finishing ability that has produced a perfect knockout rate.
"Nico's strengths include his physical strength, his large size, and his very powerful fists and elbows. As a fighter, he is really skilled, equipped with a 100 percent [finishing] rate because he has knocked out almost every single opponent," Shadow said.
Despite facing such a dangerous opponent, Shadow draws confidence from his journey. The Thai star remembers losing his first ONE Friday Fights bout and fighting through increasingly difficult opposition to reach this interim title opportunity.
His determination and refusal to surrender after initial defeat has brought Shadow to title contention. The Thai striker views this as validation of his perseverance and commitment to continuous improvement against elite competition.
"Looking back to the day I stepped into ONE, I lost in the first match. None of the opponents were easy. It might be because of my determination that brought me into this stage. Since I am here now, there's no way back. I got to keep going forward," Shadow said.
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-177010602804033136.webp)
