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Third-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender Jo Nattawut already had a taste of what it's like to share the ring with the division's overlord Tawanchai PK Saenchai.
Despite being a late-notice replacement at ONE Fight Night 15 last year, the 34-year-old performed remarkably and pushed the 25-year-old star to the brink.
Still, 'Smokin' Jo fell short on the judges' scorecards in their three-round kickboxing affair.
Now, Nattawut understands that it's going to need a somewhat inhuman performance to oust Tawanchai from the featherweight kickboxing throne.
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In an interview with ONE, the Thai Top Team standout admitted it's going to take more than brawn to outclass the cerebrally calculated world champion:
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"Tawanchai, he's the king of the division. If you want to beat him, you have to be really really good. Really clever."
Jo Nattawut will carry the lessons he learned from the first fight into his do-over with his Thai compatriot.
ONE 167 will feature the rematch between these two heavy hitters, as they run it back in a five-round slugfest in four-ounce gloves. Jo Nattawut knows it's going to take a near-perfect performance to leave Bangkok's Impact Arena as the new featherweight Muay Thai king.
Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 167 free, as it happens live on US Primetime on June 7.
Tawanchai concedes that Jo Nattawut "was tougher than expected"
Tawanchai initially thought he was going to have an easy night at the office when Jo Nattawut stepped up as Superbon's injury replacement last year. After all, the Thai veteran seemed past his prime. Then again, 'Smokin' Jo proved him wrong and showed he was a worthy adversary.
In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Tawanchai said he won't make the same mistake twice by taking Nattawut lightly:
"I'm not surprised, but I can feel his strength is the real thing. He's tougher than I expected. He even fought me on short notice."
