Stephen “The Sniper” Loman knows the high stakes that hangs in the balance once he steps inside the circle in ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham on Saturday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Not only will this match against former ONE bantamweight champion John “Hands of Stone” Lineker open a window for him to move up the ONE Athlete Rankings, this also takes him a step closer to his dream title shot.

“My opponent is the No. 1-ranked contender, so I need to do my best so that a win over John will put me at No. 1,” he said.

It’s a golden opportunity for the Team Lakay stud who has staked his claim to be the next challenger to the throne currently occupied by Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade.

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But this also gives a surreal feeling for Loman who admitted that he was looking up to Lineker when he was still with other promotions.

“Before, I was just watching John and he was very interesting because he can knock his opponents out,” he said. “I know how dangerous he is and that’s why I really studied his tendencies.”

Now, not only will he meet one of his idols but he also has to conquer him as Lineker stands in Loman’s way of reaching the top.

“This is the biggest opportunity for me because a big win for me over John means the chance to challenge for the championship. It’s important for me to get that,” he said.

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“I put more time in my training for this fight to really work on my strengths and weaknesses and I’ve never prepared harder for any fight than this.”