‘I’ve Dusted The Cobwebs Off’ – Liam Nolan Vows To KO Nauzet Trujillo In Quick Turnaround After Return From Injury
For the second time in just five weeks, British star “Lethal” Liam Nolan is preparing for battle at Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
On February 16 in U.S. primetime, the 26-year-old striker will take on Spaniard Nauzet Trujillo in an intriguing lightweight Muay Thai tilt at ONE Fight Night 19: Haggerty vs. Lobo on Prime Video.
After a difficult 14-month layoff due to injuries and illness, Nolan returned to action in January at ONE Fight Night 18, where he proved ring rust to be no problem in scoring a convincing victory over Ali Aliev.
For the most part, the Londoner looked dominant in that fight, employing the fast pace and dynamic long-range weapons that he’s known for.
Still, Nolan says he didn’t feel completely comfortable until the six-minute mark:
“It felt so good [to be back]. When I came into the third round, I finally felt like I could just throw and be myself.
“It took me to get to the third round to remember how good I can be here. When I first stepped in the ring, I was like, ‘Oh, s***, I’m about to go and do it now. It’s been a while.’”
With that experience under his belt, Nolan is confident that he’s found his stride.
When he battles Trujillo in the same spot where he defeated Aliev, the Knowsley Academy representative plans to pick up right where he left off – a scary proposition for his opponent:
“I’ve dusted the cobwebs off, and I’ve got the fresh feeling in my mind. I’m going again straight away. The way I’m looking at this is that this is round four now. It’s the same fight, just the next round, and I’m going to build on what I did in the last three rounds.”
For the Brit, returning to the ring so quickly was a no-brainer.
He knows that his stint on the sidelines stalled his climb toward lightweight Muay Thai kingpin Regian Eersel, so he’s itching to make up for lost time.
For now, his journey to gold will lead to a showdown with Trujillo at ONE Fight Night 19:
“Like I said, this is all work, you know? Why not go and work? I’ve built up, I’ve got the rounds in, I want to be building up to that World Title, and this is it. This is another important bit of building to get to where I want to go, and that’s to the top of the division.”
Nolan Unimpressed By Trujillo’s Skill Set
The quick turnaround has Liam Nolan brimming with confidence.
While he respects Nauzet Trujillo for his grit and toughness – and even welcomes his willingness to trade leather – “Lethal” believes he’s simply operating at a higher level:
“He’s game. He’s very game. He’s not technically as good as Aliev who I just fought, but he wants to exchange. I like that about him, but with my stature and my abilities, I think that will be his downfall, man.”
Nolan studied his foe’s ONE debut against Thai standout Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong last August and wasn’t particularly impressed with Trujillo – a man who dominated the European Muay Thai scene before coming to the world’s largest martial arts organization:
“I think he got bashed in by Rungrawee. He had a little bit of success at times, but I think he got beat quite convincingly.”
Still fired up from his most recent victory and ready to throw down again, Nolan promises a finish on February 16.
He added:
“I think I’m gonna knock this guy out, man. At some point in the fight, I have to. The dust was shaken off last time. But I’m settling for nothing less than a finish here.”
