Saemapetch Wants to “End the Controversy” Against Mohamed Younes Rabah Following Disappointing Loss

Saemapetch Fairtex has revenge on his mind while he gears up for his upcoming battle in ONE Championship. 

This Friday, February 16, the Thai star will rematch Mohamed Younes Rabah in bantamweight Muay Thai action at ONE Fight Night 19: Haggerty vs. Lobo inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Saemapetch Fairtex will look to settle old scores against Rabah

In an interview with ONE, the Fairtex product revealed that he specifically wanted to fight Rabah again and is thankful he got his wish. 

“I asked ONE Championship for a rematch with Mohamed. And when they gave me the green light, I started training. I’ve been training for more than two months,” Saemapetch said. 

“I’m really excited because I want revenge for what he did to me in the last fight. That fight ended too soon.” 

The pair will run back their clash from ONE Fight Night 17 last December. Back then, Saemapetch was looking for back-to-back wins to solidify his place among the most elite fighters in the bantamweight Muay Thai division, and Rabah wanted to make a statement in his promotional debut.

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The undefeated Algerian did just that when he finished Saemapetch in the opening round. But the finish was somewhat controversial, as it appeared it came via an illegal strike.

Nonetheless, the result was upheld, pushing Rabah’s pristine record to 14-0. 

Will Saemapetch be able to win this time round?

Reflecting on the match, Saemapetch believes several factors led him to the defeat. He has been reeling from it ever since and is looking forward to proving that he’s as dangerous as ever in the rematch. 

“I was ready to fight against anyone. Even when they asked me to fight at [150 pounds] while my natural weight is [145 pounds], I was okay with it. But when the fight day came, my opponent couldn’t make weight. So I was at a disadvantage in many aspects,” he said. 

“I was disappointed and upset that I was knocked down and got kneed in the face while I was down. And they still declared him the winner of the match. That’s why I want to rematch.   

“At that time, I had to respect the referee’s decision. If he was sure I lost the match, I had to accept my defeat. Now, I want to end the controversy. Win or lose, I will clear up this ambiguity for the fans.” 

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