Hamilton kickboxer who lost fight in Thai prison, back in Thailand to face 'best Muay Thai guy around'
CBC
Having survived a fight in a Thai prison, there isn't much that fazes Canadian kickboxer Denis (The Bosnian Menace) Puric.
The 39-year-old Puric, now fighting under the One Championship banner, has seen it all.
The Hamilton-based fighter is back in Thailand, this time facing local favourite Rodtang (The Iron Man) Jitmuangnon in the co-main event of "One 167: Tawanchai vs. Nattawut II" on Friday at Bangkok's Impact Arena.
Puric is no stranger to Thailand, having lived and trained there. One of his early bouts there was behind bars, when he was brought in to fight an inmate as part of the country's Prison Fights program.
"It was definitely an experience," Puric said with a laugh. "It was a good experience. I enjoyed it. It was kind of crazy but it was a cool experience."
The Thai inmates in the program fight for reduced prison time, so are extremely motivated. And Puric's opponent wasn't your average inmate. He had a fight background.
"And what do you think they do in there? They're fighting for freedom. So these guys are training like crazy, all day, every day."
Puric lost the bout, which was staged in the prison courtyard. But he got to walk out of the prison.
"That time," he said with a belly laugh.
Puric had his own brushes with the law as a younger man with his MMA career in Bellator hampered by difficulties entering the U.S. "because I got into trouble with police as a young kid, hanging out with bad people."
The Puric-Rodtang matchup is a flyweight kickboxing bout with Rodtang's One Championship Muay Thai world title not on the line.
"He's the best Muay Thai guy around right now so I'm super-excited to share the ring with one of the best guys out (there)," said Puric. "He's a tough guy, very strong, durable. But he's never fought somebody with my kind of power either. We'll see how that goes, man."
Under the One Championship promotion's rules, kickboxers competing at bantamweight or lighter wear eight-ounce boxing gloves with knockouts via punch, kick, or knee (no elbows or throws allowed). In Muay Thai, the fighters wear four-ounce mixed martial arts gloves with knockouts via punch, kick, knee, elbow, or legal throw.
Puric's first four fights in One were Muay Thai bouts. But he is well-versed in kickboxing.