ONE: Yuya Wakamatsu looking for knockout against debuting Demetrious Johnson

ONE Championship

TOKYO, Japan—Hard-hitting Yuya Wakamatsu has the unenviable task of welcoming one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in Demetrious Johnson under the ONE Championship banner on Sunday night.

But while all eyes will be on the debuting Johnson, Wakamatsu is dead set on stealing his thunder.

Wakamatsu wants no less than a win in front of his hometown crowd and he wants it to be in spectacular fashion.

“I would like to knock out Demetrious Johnson. That is what I’m aiming for, that is what I want,” Wakamatsu said through a translator during a star-studded ONE: A New Era press conference on Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton here.

“Many are doubting me in this fight against Demetrious but I’m born for this,” he added as he faces Johnson in a Flyweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal at the historic Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Coming up with a bold fight plan is one thing and executing it an entirely different story especially when knocking out Johnson hasn’t been done before.

The 32-year-old Johnson has never been stopped through 30 fights with his three losses coming via decision.

The heavy-handed Wakamatsu has made a career out of knocking his opponents out with nine of his 10 wins coming by stoppage due to strikes.