"I had to improve and change myself" - Tawanchai motivated to bounce back after latest performance

ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai always flashes his pearly whites every time he emerges victorious. However, fans noticed he looked disappointed despite successfully defending the throne against 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut at ONE 167 last June.

Speaking exclusively with Sportskeeda MMA, the Thai hero bared his motivation to deliver a much better showing at ONE 170 on Jan. 24 as he defends the gold against featherweight kickboxing king Superbon. He said:

"I am training super hard for this fight. My boss (PK Saenchai owner) is supervising me every day. I saw the results from the last fight and it hurts. It made me think that I had to improve and change myself."

Tawanchai's dejected reaction right after upending Nattawut's hopes of becoming the new king of the 155-pound Muay Thai division can be attributed to how he retained the crown.

For the better part of their five-round war, the PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym affiliate was on the receiving end of some hard shots from Nattawut. The fight was practically even entering the final round until Tawanchai emptied his tank to secure the crown via majority decision.

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Tawanchai hints at secret strategy only applicable to fighting Superbon

Any advantage a fighter can have against his opponent will be kept under wraps until it is time to trade leather inside the circle, and Tawanchai is doing the same thing for his world title tilt with Superbon.

In another exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, the 25-year-old hinted that they have developed a strategy to ensure he defeats Superbon again — similar to their first encounter in December 2023. However, he neglected to expound on it, saying:

"I have a plan to deal with him, but I can't tell you yet. You'll have to watch the match to find out."

ONE 170 will air live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.