Jamal Yusupov credits TKO loss against Tawanchai to "old injury"

Tawanchai PK.Saenchai was able to stop heavy-handed Russian 'Yeniceri' Jamal Yusupov just 49 seconds into the first round of their recent bout. A heavy leg kick ended the match as Yusupov was unable to recover.

'Yeniceri' is a three-time Russian national kickboxing champion with decades of fighting experience. To be stopped by a single leg kick appeared to be a near impossibility. While many thought he'd suffered a fractured leg, luckily that wasn't the case. Instead, it was an old injury that came back to haunt him.

While in an interview with ONE Championship, Yusupov explained the fight-ending leg kick:

"I'm fine, I feel ok. I understand that these things happen. I'm not too upset. It's not like I lost as a result of a ferocious fight. Tawanchai got me right where it hurts, precisely the spot where I had an old injury. The opponent kicked me right there. So, this is how it was supposed to be, just another test for me."

Many were saddened that the battle for the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world title ended in just 49 seconds. However, it was an exceptional performance from 23-year-old Muay Thai phenom Tawanchai.

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Tawanchai happy to win at Lumpinee Stadium

ONE Fight Night 7 was a homecoming party for the Thai-born Tawanchai. The 23-year-old world titleholder was able to defend his featherweight throne where he cut his teeth as a youth; the iconic Lumpinee Stadium.

The 23-year-old fighter has knocked out multiple opponents around the globe while fighting in ONE Championship. The PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym-trained athlete captured a world title away from his home nation.

With that, he was proud to be able to defend his crown in front of his home fans and in the very building his career was built.

In an interview with ONE Championship, the Muay Thai prodigy explained what it felt like to return to Lumpinee Stadium:

“I am very happy that I could defend my belt and I’m very thankful for all the support. The ambience definitely made me think of the old ambience that I had when I fought in the stadium before. It was a really big motivation for me and encouraged me to keep winning.”