FILIPINO-AMERICAN Sean Climaco faces undefeated prospect Johan Estupinan today, Sept. 7, 2024 (PH time), in ONE Championship’s return to US soil.
Climaco and Estupinan will kick off the “ONE 168: Denver” show in a Muay Thai flyweight fight at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
The 30-year-old Climaco tipped the scale at 135 pounds, while Estupinan was half a pound lighter at 134.5 pounds.
Climaco made his ONE debut on May 4, 2024, in ONE Fight Night 22 in Thailand. He didn’t fail to impress as he demolished Mexican Josue Cruz via a first-round knockout.
Climaco earned his spot in the ONE Championship roster after winning the “Road to ONE: America” flyweight tournament with a fourth-round knockout of Malcolm Hill in New York last year.
Estupinan, on the other hand, has already fought in the ONE Championship twice. He was impressive in his ONE debut as he stopped Japanese Kouta Omori in 27 seconds early this year. The 21-year-old followed it up with a unanimous-decision victory over Zafer Sayik.
Climaco is 11-2, while Estupinan is 24-0.
Climaco is a full-blooded Filipino born in the US. His parents are from Cebu who migrated to the US.
The main event of ONE 168 is a Muay Thai bantamweight world championship bout between ONE Muay Thai and Kickboxing bantamweight champion Jonathan Haggerty (22-4) and former world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 (138-29-4).
Veteran former Muay Thai world champions Liam Harrison (90-25-2) and Seksan Or Kwanmuang (201-75-8) face off in the main supporting bout. / EKA