WATCH: Chingiz Allazov, Tawanchai bring the fire in ONE Championship’s best kickboxing fights of 2023

Top ONE Championship strikers Chingiz Allazov and Tawanchai PK Saenchai headline the promotion’s list of top kickboxing fights in 2023.

As part of its look back at the year just passed, ONE uploaded a video of some of its best kickboxing matches on YouTube. Among those prominently featured are fights involving ONE champions Allazov and Tawanchai.

Kicking things off in the video is Azerbaijani-Belarusian fighter Allazov’s devastating second-round knockout victory over Thai superstar Superbon Singha Mawynn in January to seize the ONE featherweight kickboxing world title.

In becoming the new king of the division, ‘Chinga’ brought the heat right from the get-go and pummeled Superbon no end. In the second round, he knocked down the former champion three times, the last one by way of a nasty right to the head at the 1:03 mark to call it a night.

Allazov’s successful title defense by unanimous decision back in August against longtime rival Marat Grigorian of Armenia also made it to the list.

In it, the reigning champion established early momentum with volume kicks and punches but the challenger eventually found his footing and connected on telling hits of his own.

The two engaged in a spirited back-and-forth in the middle rounds leading to a fiery finish. In the fifth and final round, the protagonists would not budge, with Grigorian going on a late surge.

Chingiz Allazov, however, would stand his ground and throw well-placed counters to stave off the determined push of his opponent and hold on for the win.

Meanwhile, ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai’s kickboxing foray against veteran Jo Nattawut in October is also part of the list. Tawanchai admitted that the fight went down beyond his expectation as ‘Smokin’ Jo proved to be a handful with a packed arsenal, forcing him to really dig deep throughout their three-round contest to win by unanimous decision.

Others included in the video compilation are the kickboxing fights between Zhang Peimian of China and Torepchi Dongak of Russia in March, as well as the all-Thai clash between Stamp Fairtex and Anna ‘Supergirl’ Jaroonsak in January.

Watch the ONE Championship video below:

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Chingiz Allazov says Tawanchai is not yet an elite kickboxer

ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Chingiz Allazov is willing to take on Tawanchai in an all-champion title clash but believes the Thai is not yet at the level that he is as a kickboxer.

‘Chinga’ shared this following his successful title defense back in August against Armenian rival Marat Grigorian, saying that while he respects the Muay Thai world champion as a warrior, he does not see him as a solid contender in kickboxing just yet.

30-year-old Chingiz Allazov said:

“In kickboxing, he’s not the best. But he’s a real talented fighter. I have only respect for him. I don’t know if we fight, or we don’t fight.”

See the full interview below:

While he has concentrated on Muay Thai since making his ONE debut in May 2021, Tawanchai has made it known that he also wants to compete in kickboxing. He had two matches in the striking-only art last year, winning convincingly on both occasions.