Saemapetch Fairtex has long been one of the toughest fighters in ONE Championship’s bantamweight Muay Thai division, and he wants to prove that he deserves the hardware that comes with it. Saemapetch’s journey has been nothing but a relentless force to prove himself and his recent endeavors have helped him to attain a valuable skillset at just 29.
At ONE Fight Night 23: Ok vs. Rasulov this Friday, July 5, the Thai star will look to move up from his #4 spot in the divisional rankings when he faces top-ranked contender Nico “King of the North” Carrillo inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Saemapetch’s quest for ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title
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Saemapetch’s tenure in ONE dates back to July 2018, and he has amassed nine wins in 14 bouts and challenged for the bantamweight Muay Thai crown in that time. His previous opponents are no less than established as well. The Thai sensation has fought against Felipe Lobo, Nong-O-Hama, and Tawanchai PK Saenchai.
Polls of the day
Poll 1 of 6
Do you think Saemapetch Fairtex will dominate Nico Carrillo at ONE Fight Night 23?
Absolutely
No way
It's going to be close
Not sure
Do you think Conor McGregor's son will follow in his father's footsteps?
Absolutely
Maybe
Not a chance
Too early to tell
Whats your Perspective on:
Is Nico Carrillo the real test Saemapetch Fairtex needs to prove he's the best?
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Do you think Paige Spiranac's new subscription site will outshine OnlyFans?
Absolutely
No way
Maybe
Who cares?
Do you agree with Jason Kelce's take on Fourth of July traditions?
Absolutely
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Somewhat
Couldn’t care less
How do you think Jacob Fearnley will perform against Novak Djokovic?
Win
Put up a good fight but lose
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His four knockout victories show he can get the job done, and he’s ready to take out the surging force of Carrillo to take a step toward competing for the gold once again.
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“If I can beat Nico, it’s up to ONE to give me a World Title or not. At least I’ll be ranked #1 as I was before,” Saemapetch told ONE in an interview. The Fairtex Gym standout can afford to put all his focus on his upcoming match, as the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title is already set to be contested soon.
What’s your perspective on:
Is Nico Carrillo the real test Saemapetch Fairtex needs to prove he's the best?
Have an interesting take?
Saemapetch observation on his upcoming opponents
Reigning divisional king and two-sport World Champion Jonathan “The General” Haggerty is scheduled to square off against flyweight kickboxing titleholder Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE 168: Denver on Friday, September 6, inside the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
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Both men are on dominant win streaks and as good as Haggerty is, Superlek has a legitimate chance to unseat him from his throne. As such, Saemapetch isn’t looking too far ahead of his match with “King of the North,” since he doesn’t know who will hold the crown come September.
But as a constant competitor, he plans to welcome any opponent with open arms once he moves on from Carrillo this weekend. “I never thought about which opponent ONE would offer to me in my next fight. Looking at the rankings, we had to meet each other anyway. I’m not worried about fighting anyone. I can fight anyone in our division – all of them,” he said.
Debate
Is Nico Carrillo the real test Saemapetch Fairtex needs to prove he's the best?