Tawanchai PK Saenchai is looking to add more gold to his collection in ONE Championship, and he’s aiming to conquer a second sport in the Singapore-based promotion to do it. At ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian on Friday, August 4, the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion dives into his first-ever kickboxing bout on the global stage when he takes on talent striker Davit Kiria, and he’s excited by the prospect of a new challenge.
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Tawanchai has reigned over his division since claiming the World Title from Petchmorakot Petchyindee last September, and he successfully defended the coveted strap at ONE Fight Night 7 in February.
Tawanchai PK Saenchai will start pursuing his new dream from ONE Fight Night 13
With a 5-1 record against some of the best in ONE’s Muay Thai ranks, the Thai superstar says it’s been difficult to find a suitable opponent, which is why he wants to hunt in a new pool.
“It’s getting harder for me to get a Muay Thai match in my weight class, while there are many great kickboxing fighters,” Tawanchai said. “I want to try new things, and I have a new dream of being a Kickboxing World Champion as well as a Muay Thai World Champion.”
“I need to learn new rules, which are not too different. It’s quite a pressure, to be honest, but shouldn’t be too hard for me. It’s a pressure but also a challenge because I want to face great fighters to prove to myself.”
Though it will be his promotional debut in kickboxing, his match with Kiria at ONE Fight Night 13 won’t be the first time Tawanchai has competed in the sport. In 2019 and 2020, he competed in a tournament in China and won three matches to move into the semifinals. However, he suffered a disappointing defeat there that prevented him from going further.
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That loss helped him gain an appreciation for the intricacies of kickboxing, and he aims to prove that he can succeed by taking a win in his upcoming bout. “I learned something [from that loss]. My opponent that day was a great kickboxer. He was faster and better than me in every way. I have to admit that I was still lacking kickboxing experience. That’s why I lost. So, I want to prove myself in the upcoming fight,” Tawanchai said.
Tawanchai PK Saenchai is unperturbed despite his opponent’s formidable record
“I’m not so experienced in kickboxing, but that doesn’t scare me. I’m here to face everyone, especially the talented fighters.” Against Kiria, the PK Saenchai representative will face a dangerous foe with a formidable reputation in the sport. The Georgian fighter is a former Glory Kickboxing World Champion and KLF Kickboxing Champion, and he holds 40 wins on his slate.
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He will be hungry to show the world that he belongs on the biggest stage by taking out Tawanchai, so fans should expect fireworks when their battle goes down. Their match, and the rest of ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian, will be broadcast live and free on Prime Video for fans across North America with an Amazon subscription.