Facing former ONE bantamweight champion John “Hands of Stone” Lineker may be a tall order for Stephen “The Sniper” Loman.
But the No. 2-ranked bantamweight is unfazed as he prepares for the heavy-handed Brazilian for their match in ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham.
The three-round tiff will take place on Sept. 30 inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium and will determine the next title contender.
Loman believes that in the entirety of his 11-year professional career, Lineker will certainly be one of the heaviest hitters he faces. But the 28-year-old is undaunted, as he knows that he packs a punch as well.
“He’s certainly a heavy hitter. When he was in the UFC, he was knocking out everyone he faced, and he instilled fear in his division. He’s doing the same here in ONE,” he said.
“However, I have power in my hands as well, and I believe I can knock him out.”
At the end of the day, Loman believes he’s the more well-rounded fighter between them, and, looking at the variety of his wins in ONE Championship, it’s hard to argue against that.
In his debut, he showcased his one-punch knockout power by stopping the erstwhile third-ranked Yusup Saadulaev in the first round.
A few months later, he was forced into a war of attrition by Shoko Sato, and he showed that he can grind out matches as well by outlasting the well-rounded Japanese veteran.
But perhaps his biggest win came against former divisional king Bibiano Fernandes in a fight where he imposed his will on the Brazilian, lighting him up on the feet and manhandling the submission wizard on the ground.
For Loman, it’s all about keeping Lineker guessing.
“I plan to mix everything up—striking, ground, wrestling—that’s my approach,” he said.
“I can apply pressure early on. But if he puts the pressure on me, I’ll be reverting back to my game plan (and being patient). I can do a lot of things in this bout.”
While he won’t actively look for a finish, Loman believes that, with their styles, this fight can only end in two ways.
“I’m just focused on the fight. I’ll do my best and look for the KO or submission, but I’ll be patient in doing so. Those are the only two outcomes that I see in this fight,” he said.
