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Superbon didn't have Masaaki Noiri emerging victorious over Tawanchai PK Saenchai at ONE 172. What's more, a statement finish to claim the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title.
However, that was just what the Team Vasileus star did when ONE Championship headed back to "The Land of the Rising Sun" for an epic night of action on Sunday, March 23.
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The Japanese kickboxer shocked the combat sports world when he stopped the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion with a nasty short left hook and a bucketload of strikes to earn the TKO stoppage at 1:55 of round three, 26 pounds of gold, and a US$50,000 performance bonus.
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Superbon didn't hide his astonishment at seeing one of Thailand's most technically brilliant fighters fall in such dramatic fashion. Speaking to Thai media during an interview in Bangkok, Superbon said:
"I was shocked. Yes, I was shocked. The world was shocked".
"Personally, I thought it was going to be Tawanchai [who would win the fight]. But fights are like that."
The ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion's reaction echoes the sentiment of many who witnessed the upset inside the Saitama Super Arena.
Tawanchai, after all, had been riding an impressive winning streak and was widely considered among the most dominant fighters in the promotion before he ran into Noiri's precise striking at ONE 172.
Fight fans can watch the complete replay of this highlight-reel finish and the entire ONE 172 event exclusively at watch.onefc.com.
Check out the interview below:
Superbon 'not afraid' of looming war against Masaaki Noiri
With Masaaki Noiri's title-clinching display in Japan, Superbon has his next assignment locked in.
While the time, date, or venue has been confirmed, the ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion admits he's ready to face the dangers Noiri brings to the table in the world title unification battle. In the same interview, the Bangkok-based fighter confidently stated:
"He is a talented person. But I'm not afraid of him".
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for further developments on his hotly anticipated world title unification showdown.
