South African contender Bokang Masunyane views his upcoming strawweight MMA clash against Ryohei Kurosawa at ONE Fight Night 39 on January 24 as the perfect opportunity to remind the division why he belongs among the elite.
The 31-year-old will face the Japanese fighter at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, seeking to halt a two-fight losing streak while capitalizing on his proven track record against top opposition.
Masunyane recognizes that facing an experienced opponent like the 32-year-old Kurosawa, who brings a 20-4 career record, provides exactly the platform he needs to make a statement.
"It's very nice to fight a high-level athlete like that because it allows me to make a statement and show that I belong at the top of the division in ONE Championship and to obviously open up a title opportunity for me," Masunyane explained.
Masunyane has claimed four promotional victories, including three wins over Japanese fighters, giving him confidence heading into this matchup.
However, Masunyane revealed significant evolution in his skill set that he believes will surprise opponents.
"I've got a very strong wrestling background. Lately, I've been working a lot on my striking for the last year and a half, and I feel like the striking has improved so much more," the South African stated.
The enhanced striking adds another dimension to Masunyane's already dangerous arsenal, potentially creating problems for Kurosawa, who made his promotional debut in September 2025 with a unanimous decision victory over Philippines' Jayson Miralpez.
Masunyane hasn't just prepared for victory but has envisioned exactly how he wants this fight to end, with a specific timeline in mind.
"In my ideal scenario, it's me finding a knockout between the first two rounds, most likely the second. I think that's the fight that puts a statement on the rest of the division," Masunyane declared.
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