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Herald Economy
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Road FC’s two-weight champion Kim Tae-in (33, Road FC Kim Tae-in Gym) has set his sights on a showdown with “The Lion of Victory,” Myung Hyun-man (41).
Kim expressed this desire during a recent visit to Wonju for a pre-fight medical check-up. He met with Chairman Jeong Moon-hong ahead of his upcoming bout at Road FC 076, scheduled for March 15 at Seoul’s Jangchung Gymnasium.
In the upcoming event, Kim will defend his heavyweight title against Japan’s “bad boy,” Sekino Taisei. This marks Kim’s first title defense since their initial clash in April 2024, where he secured a first-round TKO victory. A rematch was initially planned for last year but was postponed due to Kim’s knee injury.
Brimming with confidence, Kim declared, “To be honest, I’m not too concerned about Taisei. He’ll go down as soon as I land a punch. Even if he’s on a hot streak, if he’s serious about this fight, he’s in for a rude awakening.”
However, Kim’s focus seems to be shifting beyond Taisei to Myung Hyun-man, a formidable presence in the domestic heavyweight MMA scene who has also competed in Road FC. The two fighters share a history, having trained together in the past.
Kim elaborated, “I’m already thinking past Taisei to my next challenge. I’m the top dog in Korean heavyweight MMA, but lately, everyone’s been hyping up Hyun-man as the real deal. If he wants to step up, I’m more than ready to welcome him. Let’s settle this and see who’s truly the best in the business.”
Myung Hyun-man’s last high-profile bout was a kickboxing match against then-middleweight champion Hwang In-soo under Road FC rules in 2023, which he lost. Interestingly, Hwang In-soo and Kim Tae-in are close friends, with Kim even serving as Hwang’s cornerman in that fight. If a Kim vs. Myung matchup materializes, there’s a possibility of Hwang returning the favor as Kim’s cornerman, adding another layer of intrigue to this potential clash.
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