Demetrious Johnson wasn’t the only legendary combat sports athlete to lay down his gloves at One Championship 168.
Liam Harrison has done it all in Muay Thai. The 38-year-old English fighter rose to prominence in the mid-2000s, becoming champion in multiple promotions around the globe. Of even greater important to his Muay Thai legacy is that Harrison took on many top-ranked Thai fighters and stadium champions, picking up a handful of incredible wins in the process.
By the time Harrison signed to One Championship in 2018, Harrison was already on the back end of his professional career. Still, “Hitman” managed to create a couple instant classics in his time with the promotion, and last night’s brawl with Seksan was no different. At 35 years of age himself, Seksan isn’t at the top of the elite either, but the former Rajadamnern Stadium champion remains very dangerous.
The fight was, as expected, a brawl. Things took a turn for the worse for Harrison when a crisp right hand after an exchange of elbows floored him. Harrison barely made it back to his feet, but in classic “Hitman” fashion, he started swinging huge once back on his feet. Harrison actually created some decent connections while badly rocked, but Seksan kept attacking to land two more knockdowns and force the stoppage.
The end sequence can be viewed in the video player above.
After the defeat, Harrison left his gloves in the cage, signaling his retirement. He confirmed as much in a backstage interview as well, explaining that he simply couldn’t withstand the damage anymore.
Thank you, “Hitman” Muay Thai legend Liam Harrison brings a close to his incredible career @LiamBadco
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on https://t.co/eBUfsOlZOd (geo-restrictions may apply) pic.twitter.com/5EHKaNxceU— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) September 7, 2024
“It’s a shame, but my body just can’t take the shots that I could in my prime. It’s as simple as that really. I’m 38 years old, I’ll be 39 next week. I just can’t take the punishment that I could once take. To fight in One Championship against these elite level killers, you need to be able to take the punishment. Two years out of the ring, horrible injury, Father Time catching up on me.”
Harrison retires with a 90-26-2 record as a professional. He is best known for his heavy low kicks, thudding left hook, and ability to both brawl and point fight as needed.