THROWBACK: Chaotic Muay Thai brawl between Denis Puric and Jacob Smith

Battle-hardened flyweight Muay Thai contender Denis Puric of Bosnia and Canada outlasted fellow veteran Jacob Smith of England in an epic striking war at ONE Fight Night 21 last year.

The all-out brawl began with a chess match-like first round.

Smith got the early upper hand by utilizing his reach advantage, scoring with pinpoint kicks to the body.

On the other hand, Puric worked to close the gap, which proved crucial in round 2. All hell broke loose when ‘The Bosnian Menace’ scored two massive knockdowns that swung the fight decisively in his favor.

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A vicious counter uppercut out of nowhere dropped Smith. The Englishman protested it was a slip, but referee Olivier Coste thought otherwise.

Looking to redeem himself, Smith charged forward. But he recklessly ate two hooks to the temple, and was felled again just as time expired.

The Bad Company affiliate knew he was behind entering the final frame and turned up the pressure. He tagged Puric repeatedly with nasty punch combinations, as the 40-year-old veteran visibly slowed down.

But those early knockdowns proved too much to overcome. Puric secured the unanimous decision victory despite Smith's late surge.

Relive that epic slugfest here:

What's next for Denis Puric and Jacob Smith?

Denis Puric is slated to return to action at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri.

On November 16, 'The Bosnian Menace' will battle Takeru Segawa in a three-round flyweight kickboxing affair at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

It's a pivotal match for the struggling Puric, who wants to return to his winning ways. The 40-year-old is eager to show he's still elite by beating the 'Natural Born Krusher' in his hometown.

Meanwhile, Jacob Smith was slated for a ONE Fight Night 37 return against Nakrob Fairtex. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in training and had to be replaced by Taiki Naito.

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim