Prajanchai PK.Saenchai is confident that his skill set will take him past his next challenger inside the Circle on Friday, 20 May.
At ONE 157: Petchmorakot vs. Vienot, the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion puts his gold on the line against Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri. And he plans to make the most of his second appearance at the Singapore-based promotion.
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“I heard him saying about me in his latest interview that he would surprise me in the first round. But I think I’d be the one to surprise him,” the 27-year-old warned.
“I will hurt him badly and make him realize that I’m a talented Muay Thai fighter at a high level.”
Prajanchai’s arsenal was at its sparkling best when he made a roaring debut versus Sam-A Gaiyanghadao at ONE: BATTLEGROUND last year.
The Bangkok resident dethroned the Muay Thai legend with heavy hands and perfectly-timed combinations to snatch the gold after a 15-minute high-octane fight.
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He caught Sam-A square on the chin with a couple of uppercuts, right hands, and jabs, and despite the latter’s best effort to trouble Prajanchai, he was simply no match for his fellow countryman.
The PK.Saenchai Muaythai gym representative is confident that he can replicate the same form that powered him past Sam-A, and he promises to be more relentless in his pursuit to defend the World Title.
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“He has quite a lot of blind spots, and I also found that he will stumble after he eats punches – it seems that he doesn’t like punches,” he offered.
“I’m going to use the same weapon that I used to knock Sam-A [Gaiyanghadao] down – an overhand punch. My coach has me training my overhand consistently because it is deadly. It deals more damage than the straight punch.”
Prajanchai PK.Saenchai believes a knockout is on the horizon at ONE 157
Despite being confident of his chances against the Italian-Moroccan striker, Prajanchai knows he cannot underestimate what his rival brings to the table.
The #1-ranked contender’s aggressive style and lightning-quick movements have helped him pick up three victories inside the Circle. In his most recent outing, Lasiri knocked out Japanese star Asahi Shinagawa inside 126 seconds.
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He feels Lasiri’s striking could trouble him, but he points out to his rival’s defense as the main flaw, which could ultimately decide the tie.
“I assume that he will do well in his offensive game, but when it comes to the defensive game, he may not know how to do it well,” Prajanchai said.
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“If I get a chance, I’ll knock him out as soon as possible. But I will not be careless.”