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Third-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut knows he'll have to pace himself for a five-round fight, but he has no concerns about his ability to do so.
On Friday, June 7, Nattawut will step back inside the Circle at ONE 167 inside the iconic Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand for an opportunity to dethrone the reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion, Tawanchai.
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The bout will be a rematch of their ONE Fight Night 15 scrap. However, this time, things will be quite different as they'll be going toe-to-toe in four-ounce gloves instead of eight-ouncers. The fight will also be five rounds instead of three.
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Speaking about the adjustments he'll need to make, particularly in the cardio department, Nattawut told the promotion:
"It will be different with the cardio, yes, because you have to prepare for five rounds. Like when I fight three rounds, I just go. Just go, go, go. I don't have to worry about anything. But this time, I have to see a little bit more because it’s longer. But I’ve fought five rounds before, so I never had a problem."
Tawanchai looks to dispatch Jo Nattawut for the second time at ONE 167
Though Jo Nattawut came up short in a kickboxing clash with Tawanchai late last year, the Thai's performance was impressive enough — especially on short notice — to justify a rematch. Of course, this won't be just any old rematch. This time around, Tawanchai's 26 pounds of gold will be up for grabs in a massive main event.
Going into his third title defense, Tawanchai has bested his last seven opponents, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous athletes on the roster. Along the way, he has earned noteworthy wins over the likes of Saemapetch Fairtex, Petchmorakot Petchyindee, Jamal Yusupov, and Superbon.
Does Tawanchai make it back-to-back wins against Nattawut in his first appearance of 2024, or will 'Smokin' Jo shock the world and claim his first ONE world championship?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 167 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 7.
