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Tawanchai PK Saenchai admits he didn't fight to his usual standards in his last bout.
In the aftermath of his successful featherweight Muay Thai world title defense against rival Jo Nattawut at ONE 167 last year, the 25-year-old fan-favorite surprisingly received some boos from his countrymen at Impact Arena.
After all, Tawanchai wasn't his typical dominant self, allowing 'Smokin' Jo to have his moments through their gritty five-round war.
It was the second time that the PK Saenchai athlete struggled against Nattawut since the Thai veteran also pushed him to the limit at ONE Fight Night 15.
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Once the final verdict was read, Tawanchai still retained his belt via a razor-close majority decision, much to the chagrin of some fans who made their displeasure known.
Speaking to the Bangkok Post's Nick Atkin, Tawanchai recalled that unpleasant experience and vowed never to go through it again.
"I was upset and a little bit sad. It was something I had never experienced before. I felt like I was not part of the decision, I just did my best in the ring and then that’s it. I was not part of making myself win or lose, so it was a bit sad."
Luckily for Tawanchai, he could redeem himself at Impact Arena this Friday if he scores a decisive win over challenger Superbon in the curtain closer of ONE 170.
Tawanchai promises the highest levels of striking at ONE 170
Tawanchai is undoubtedly one of the most mesmerizing and technical strikers in the world. Then again, he may have found his match against Superbon, whose fluid striking is just a joy to watch.
The world was treated to a masterpiece in 'The Art of Eight Limbs', the last time these two shared the Circle.
After already besting the featherweight kickboxing world champion in their last meeting, Tawanchai remains confident he'll keep his 26 pounds of gold anew at ONE 170.
"I don’t know where it’s going, but I believe it will be exciting," he said. "We have different styles. We are not aggressive fighters who are throwing punches around randomly. So I’m being careful. I’ve prepared some tricks for him as well."
ONE 170 will air live in Asian Primetime on Jan. 24 via watch.onefc.com.
Watch the full interview:
