JAKARTA, Indonesia: With Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame still generating plenty of buzz among practically the whole world, closer to home, Malaysia’s Muay Thai sensation, Mohammed “Jordan Boy” Bin Mahmoud is planning on getting his Malaysian fans (and those around the world) all abuzz as he ‘avenges’ his recent loss when he enters the ONE Championship ring tonight in a ONE Super Series Muay Thai bout at ONE: For Honour against Scotsman Andrew “Mad Dog” Miller at Jakarta’s Istora Senayan arena.
His last outing against Cypriot Panicos Yusuf in Tokyo, Japan for ONE: A New Era barely more than a month ago was a close shave with the final result falling favourably for Yusof. This time around, the 23-year-old ONE Championship athlete is determined to claim the scalp of his Scottish opponent and bring home that much awaited glory for the country.
“I’m feeling relaxed. I’ve done what I need to do up to this point and I’m just looking forward to getting into the ring tonight,” begins the Kedah-born Muay Thai exponent when met at Nam Hotel in bustling Jakarta where he has been ensconced with his family since his arrival days earlier. “I’ve been able to continue with my training routine since I got here as the hotel has a good gym with a nice boxing ring for us athletes to train.”
Taking into account his opponent’s general game play, Mohammed, who’ll have his father, Mahmoud Omar, older brother Nidal Mahmoud, who fights under the moniker “King Joker”, and Monarchy MMA gym’s Muay Thai head coach, Conrado Furlan in his corner tonight, shares that he and his team have worked a bit more on his boxing skills in addition to sharpening his other skills. “From what we’ve seen of Miller, we gather that he’s the type of fighter that likes to keep moving forward so for this clash, I’ll be looking to do a lot more punching and blocking.”
His smile wide, the Sampuri Muay Thai gym representative continues: “I’m quietly confident of my chances. To be honest, I wasn’t nervous in that recent clash in Japan. It was more the case of luck wasn’t on my side. I feel I did everything I should have done.”
Adding, Mohammed concludes: “Tonight, I’m just going to go in there with a single thought – that I want to do this for my country, my family, myself and of course, for all my loyal fans. I’m not even thinking of the possibility of defeat. I just have to bring victory home.”
And what advice have the guys behind “Team Jordan Boy” given to him as he braces for an exciting next step in his ONE Championship journey? A pause and again that smile as the Malaysian/Jordanian fighter replies: “Only one advice: Just win!”