Undefeated Turkish Knockout Artist Samet Agdeve Gets Shot At Heavyweight Kickbox

Young Turkish striker Samet Agdeve will get the opportunity of a lifetime when he challenges two-division king Roman Kryklia for the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Fight Night 37 on 8 November.

The 21-year-old knockout artist brings a perfect unblemished record with 12 finishes to this five-round title fight against the 33-year-old Ukrainian giant who already holds belts in two different divisions.

Agdeve's meteoric rise culminated with his recent SENSHI Heavyweight Grand Prix victory and an impressive victory over former ONE Championship athlete Giannis Stoforidis in July. Now he faces the ultimate test against one of kickboxing's most dominant champions.

Kryklia enters as the overwhelming favourite, holding both the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing and Heavyweight Muay Thai World Titles. The 6-foot-7 man has been perfect since joining ONE Championship, posting a 7-0 record with six finishes across multiple weight classes and striking disciplines.

The Dubai-based fighter's journey began at age 6 in Ukraine, leading to an impressive 51-7 career record. His championship collection started with the inaugural ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Title in November 2019, followed by the inaugural ONE Heavyweight Muay Thai World Title in December 2023.

For Agdeve, this represents a massive step up in competition, but his youth and knockout power could prove problematic for the veteran.

Plus, the undercard features American MMA veteran Gilbert Nakatani looking to secure his first ONE Championship victory against Indonesia's Eko Roni Saputra in flyweight MMA action.

Nakatani, 31, has struggled in his previous outings against top competition including Yuya Wakamatsu and Jeremy Miado. He faces the 34-year-old Saputra, who boasts seven promotional wins with a perfect finishing rate of seven stoppages.

This heavyweight kickboxing title fight could represent a passing-of-the-torch moment as the young Turkish star attempts to dethrone an established champion at the peak of his powers.