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Newly crowned ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world champion Masaaki Noiri of Japan says the secret to his shocking stoppage victory over featherweight Muay Thai king Tawanchai PK Saenchai of Thailand was keeping a level head.
Noiri displayed a high level of cool and calm in his third-round technical knockout destruction of Tawanchai in the co-main event of ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang a week ago.
Speaking to My Navi News in a recent interview, Noiri talked about his strategy heading into the Tawanchai showdown and how he executed it to a tee.
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The Team Vasileus representative said:
"Not really. I was ready to fight the full five rounds. So my strategy was to not let him win even a single round. But with that strategy, I know if I lose one round, I will have the chance to win the other rounds. So my strategy was to wear him down, and if the finish came, I'd go for the knockout."
ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang was broadcast live from the iconic Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, last Sunday, March 23rd.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action via replay on-demand on watch.onefc.com or check out highlights on the ONE Championship YouTube channel.
Masaaki Noiri reveals he contemplated retirement prior to winning world title last week: "I thought about what I wanted to do"
Japanese kickboxing icon Masaaki Noiri says he thought about hanging up his gloves for good after a rough start in his career in the world's largest martial arts organization.
Noiri lost his first two fights in ONE before finally getting one in the win column. It was devastating for the 31-year-old.
He told My Navi News:
"When I lost two fights in a row, of course, I thought about what I wanted to do, and even contemplated retirement. But it all changed when I got my comeback fight in January and won by KO."
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Masaaki Noiri's next fight.
