Defiant Liam Harrison Still Standing

If Liam Harrison has learned anything over his 24 years in the ring, it is how to perform through the pain. However, “The Hitman,” now 38, wonders if he can still live up to his reputation.

“Nobody wants to watch a watered-down Liam Harrison,” he told Sherdog.com. “They want ‘The Hitman.’ They want to watch someone who can get up after being knocked down and win. They want to watch someone who puts on great fights, someone who puts it all on the line and looks for the KO. That’s what the people pay money for.”

Two years after an unsuccessful bid to capture the ONE Championship muay thai bantamweight title, Harrison must prove he has recovered from a torn meniscus, a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial collateral ligament when he faces Katsuki Kitano in a featured ONE 167 attraction this Friday at Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

There were moments when Harrison’s long-awaited comeback seemed uncertain. Previously scheduled fights against Pongsiri P.K. Saenchai, John Lineker and Floyd Mayweather Jr. fell through, as his body resisted the grueling rehab. He could sense his aura fading. The question lingered: If he could not return to his former glory, was there a point in returning at all?

“There were a few times where I wasn’t making the progress I wanted,” Harrison said. “I asked myself if I would ever get myself as good, sharp and strong as I once was, because if I couldn’t, I wouldn’t come back.”

Harrison (90-25-2) was on a five-fight winning streak before Nong-O Gaiyanghadao sent him into his two-year hiatus. How could he expect to hold off the younger generation after reconstructive knee surgery? He would not return to the ring until he was certain he could still compete at the highest level. Harrison sparred and held his own with Swiss kickboxing star Dani Rodriguez. He invited peers at the Bad Company Gym in Leeds, England, to force him into retirement. Their attempts were unsuccessful.

“They were all young, fresh, and I started wiping the floor with them again,” Harrison said.

Rediscovering his groove was a challenging yet rewarding journey. As his career progresses through its twilight years, Harrison relishes seeing young, hungry fighters try to take his spot. He knows he cannot hold them off forever and that his days at the pinnacle are likely over, but Harrison seems determined to make his ride into retirement as fun and as ambitious as possible.

“I’m not bothered about the title, accolades or anything. I just want to get in there for these last couple of years and enjoy the fight and the buildups and just provide entertainment to the fans,” he said. “Muay thai is the best drug on Earth, and while my body can still produce, I want to get the most out of it.”