Aliff Sor Dechapan plans to make Walter Goncalves wilt at ONE 169
At only 20 years old, strawweight Muay Thai star Aliff Sor Dechapan enters his biggest bout in ONE Championship yet when he meets Walter Goncalves at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug next month, and he advises the Brazilian not underestimate him.
The Thai welcomes his foe to the strawweight division on Friday, November 8, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.
In seven promotional appearances, Aliff has scored four huge knockouts with his aggressive, pressuring style. But with Goncalves being the bigger name, he feels the Brazilian will try to bully him – and Aliff believes that will bring the fight into his own hands.
“I’m taller than [Goncalves] and have a wider variety of Muay Thai weapons. I will try to use them to finish him inside the distance,” he said.
“He has a habit of punching and then backing away. I got that from his fight with heavy-hitter Thongpoon [PK Saenchai]. But I believe he will be the one to come to me because he’ll think I’m weaker than him.”
Aliff Sor Dechapan looking to make a statement against Walter Goncalves
Walter Goncalves has faced some of the very best strikers in the world throughout his time in ONE Championship, and Aliff Sor Dechapan respects him for that.
The Brazilian battled flyweight Muay Thai king Rodtang Jitmuangnon and two-division ONE World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 early on in his tenure. But Aliff believes that has given him plenty to study.
And given the Thai’s ascension to the main roster, he feels this is the perfect time for the pair to cross paths as he looks to make a statement by defeating Goncalves.
“This man has faced elite fighters like Superlek and Rodtang. He seems to be on another level when compared with me. However, he didn’t beat those two. So I think we should be on the same level,” he said.
“From his fight against Superlek, I think he’s not very durable. But, once again, you can’t compare me with Superlek because we fight in different weight classes.”
