‘I Have To Accept It’, Aslamjon Ortikov Defiant But Respectful Following Historic World Title War With Asadula Imangazaliev
Article excerpt
The Uzbek star opens up about his first career defeat, his unshaken confidence, and what comes next.
For 24 consecutive professional fights, Aslamjon “El Pantera” Ortikov had never experienced the bitter walk back to the locker room without a victory beside his name.
That flawless reality finally changed at The Inner Circle 20 on June 26, when the Uzbek phenom suffered a razor-close split-decision defeat to Asadula “The Dagestan Ninja” Imangazaliev in their epic battle for the vacant ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title.
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The high-stakes, five-round main event at Bangkok’s historic Lumpinee Stadium featured all the creativity, blinding speed, and deep unpredictability expected from two undefeated strikers operating at the absolute pinnacle of the sport.
However, when the official scorecards were read in the center of the ring, two of the three judges ultimately sided with Imangazaliev, ending Ortikov’s perfect run and leaving him with the very first defeat of his career.
Ortikov shared:
“As you saw, guys, I did my best. It even looked like I won. You can see it from my face.
“But the decision wasn’t in my hands or yours. So, I have to accept it. What can I do? I did my best and showed everyone a great fight.”
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The highly strategic chess match gave both elite warriors ample reason to believe they had done enough to secure the coveted twenty-six pounds of gold.
Ortikov continually shifted stances, stayed incredibly active with his fluid footwork, and beautifully mixed fast boxing combinations with heavy push kicks and spinning attacks.
Imangazaliev answered with his own signature, unorthodox arsenal, unleashing jumping knees, head kicks, slicing elbows, and consecutive spinning back elbows throughout the 15-minute affair. Neither fighter managed to create clear separation for long.
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Ortikov’s dynamic movement often forced Imangazaliev to completely reset before launching another offense. Furthermore, the Uzbek landed a thudding punch in the third round that visibly bloodied his rival’s nose before continuing to threaten with an axe kick and spinning backfist.
While Imangazaliev remained highly dangerous throughout, Ortikov firmly believed the cleaner individual moments and the total lack of visible damage on his own face supported his winning case.
The 23-year-old phenom explained:
“You could see how many kicks I landed on him, how many push kicks I landed to his face, and the spinning backfists. And look at my face. There wasn’t a mark on it.”
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The decision was narrow enough that Ortikov did not leave the ring questioning whether he truly belonged at the undisputed World Title tier. Instead, he trusted exactly what he felt across all five grueling rounds.
He had stood directly in front of one of the most dangerous, feared strikers on the planet, exchanged leather until the final bell, and left believing his own work was simply more effective.
“El Pantera” offered:
“Of course, I believed in myself that I won.
“I don’t know what other people thought or who they believed won, but for me, I was inside the ring and fighting there. During the fight, I thought I won, but that’s how it is.”
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Ortikov Vows To Return Stronger After First Loss
The unblemished record may officially be gone, but Aslamjon Ortikov insists the outcome has not shaken his supreme self-belief.
Following the close decision loss to the newly minted ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, he points to the way he fought through five demanding frames, never stopped pressing forward, and left the ring completely healthy as primary reasons to look to the future rather than dwell on the past.
The Uzbek star said:
“It didn’t affect me at all. I know what I did, and I know how I fought. I didn’t give up at all. I think it was a very good fight, and I fought until the end. Most importantly, nothing happened to me. My body wasn’t injured. So this loss doesn’t affect me at all.”
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Before mapping out his return to the training mats, Ortikov plans to afford himself a well-deserved short break away from the intense pressure of a World Title training camp. His immediate, short-term goal is not an opponent or another date on the calendar, it is comfort food, family, and reflecting with the team that got him here.
He said:
“Right now, my next goal is a burger. I want to go smash some burgers and pizza, relax, and spend time with my family, my dad, my coaches, and my team. That’s all I want for now.”
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That brief competitive pause will certainly not last long. Ortikov has already promised that the elite version fans witnessed against Imangazaliev will return, and he fully intends to continue evolving rather than allowing one single decision to define his trajectory.
Asked whether he’s targeting an immediate rematch and whether global fans would see his absolute best form inside the circle again, he answered without a shred of hesitation:
“You already saw the best version of me, and next time, you will definitely see it again.
“Anytime, anywhere.”
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