“Superbon showed signs of distress” – Buakaw believes Tawanchai’s ‘exceptional’ kicking game badly hurt Superbon

Muay Thai great and living legend Buakaw Banchamek recognizes talent when he sees one, and that’s his exact view on reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

After scooping the 2022 Muay Thai Fighter of the Year accolade in ONE Championship, the 24-year-old broke new ground in 2023, defending his prized possession on two occasions and a pair of wins under kickboxing rules.

To close out his campaign last year, the PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym affiliate put his gold on the line against Superbon Singha Mawynn in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 46, which went down inside Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Boxing Stadium this past December.

As he had done over the past two years, Tawanchai’s striking versatility, accuracy, and power proved too much for the former featherweight kickboxing king, who gave it his all in the 15-minute scrap in Thailand.

Looking at the divisional king’s seventh straight win under the ONE spotlight, Buakaw believes the 24-year-old’s arsenal hurt Superbon badly even before the championship rounds began.

He said:

“At the start of the championship round, Superbon showed signs of distress. After taking his opponent’s left kicks, Superbon’s attacks were slower. But he was still trying to get in. Superbon was improving, but Tawanchai’s kicking skills were too exceptional.”

Watch the full video here:

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What’s next for Tawanchai in 2024?

At the rate he is going, the young superstar could run out of contenders before he even hits his prime.

However, the ONE Championship striking roster is right up there, so it’s safe to say there are plenty of options for the lifelong Muay Thai practitioner for his next task.

An intriguing matchup with No.2-ranked Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, the only man to hand the Thai superstar a defeat in ONE, is one to make. Otherwise, the Thai warrior can look into his options inside the kickboxing division and a possible shot at Chingiz Allazov’s 26 pounds of gold.

Whichever route he takes, Tawanchai is sure to impress as and when he returns to fight in ONE Championship.

If you missed any of the action or want to relive an epic night in the promotion’s history, the ONE Friday Fights 46 replay can be watched on demand via watch.onefc.com.