Tawanchai PK Saenchai may no longer be in the main event of ONE Championship’s upcoming card, but he’ll still be in action against a dangerous fighter.
At ONE Fight Night 15: Le vs. Freymanov this Friday, October 6, the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion will face “Smokin” Jo Nattawut in a kickboxing contest inside the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tawanchai PK Saenchai claps back at Superbon Singha Mawynn’s critics
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Originally slated to defend his crown against Superbon Singha Mawynn in the headline bout, Tawanchai said he was heartbroken when the fight couldn’t go through. Superbon revealed that he suffered an injury during training and had to pull out of the much-anticipated battle. Critics cast doubt on the former pound-for-pound king’s injury, especially considering Tawanchai’s brilliant run of form and the fight only a couple of weeks away. However, the PK Saenchai representative was having none of that, and he stood by his Thai compatriot. “For anyone saying that Superbon is trying to avoid this fight because he is scared of me, I want to tell them that a true warrior fears nothing,” he told ONE in an interview.
“This is unexpected and uncontrollable. He was really injured. I hope that once he recovers from his injury, we can eventually fight each other soon.” Thankfully, fans will still get to see Tawanchai showcase his skills in the ring in the same event, as Nattawut bravely stepped in on short notice to take him on in a kickboxing match. The 24-year-old said pivoting to a new opponent poses a few challenges in terms of preparing a strategy but doesn’t mind the change of rule set, as it helps him take a step closer to his goal of two-division glory. “Yes, it’s different. Jo’s strength is his boxing skill, while Superbon’s strength is his leg kicks,” he said.
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“It’s okay for me to switch from Muay Thai to Kickboxing. Because it is also my intention to conquer the kickboxing division in ONE. This fight will be like my warm-up so I can stay active, which is good for me. It’s better than training for a long period without a fight. That makes me feel sluggish. I will use this chance to gain experience and level up in kickboxing as well.” Nattawut is a striking veteran with over 70 wins to his name, but he has struggled recently in the world’s largest martial arts organization. The Thai star is coming off back-to-back losses, with his latest setback coming at the hands of Jamal Yusupov at ONE 159 last July.
Saenchai looking forward to a tough challenge against Jo Nattawut
Through nine matches in ONE, Nattawut has only suffered three other losses, and they each came at the hands of all-time greats Giorgio Petrosyan and Chingiz Allazov. Given this, Tawanchai believes his upcoming foe is as dangerous as they come, and he will need to be at his best if he wants to escape with a victory. “Look at each of his opponents! Don’t forget he has to face those high-level fighters. There is no shame in losing to those elite fighters. He didn’t lose to small fry,” he said.“Those are world-class fighters he lost to. He did his best. And I believe Jo is good in his own way. Otherwise, ONE matchmaker wouldn’t have brought him to fight with me.”
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Read More: 4 Fighters Who Have the Most To Gain at ONE Fight Night 15
Despite the unexpected circumstances he has had to face going into ONE Fight Night 15, Tawanchai still has victory on his mind. He’s hoping to turn in another dominant performance and claim his third straight stoppage to take home another US$50,000 performance bonus. “Of course, I want to win by KO because I want a bonus,” Tawanchai said. “The sooner it ends, the better. But he also has a chance to finish me quickly as well.” ONE Fight Night 15 airs live on Prime Video on Friday, October 6. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is free for all Prime Video subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
