Tawanchai admits to feeling pressure ahead of his first world title defense

Tawanchai PK.Saenchai may have taken the Muay Thai world by storm, but the striking prodigy is feeling the pressure ahead of his first defense of the featherweight Muay Thai crown.

The 23-year-old phenom captured the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship last year. Prior to that, the Saenchai Gym-trained athlete recorded a series of impressive knockouts to cement himself as the top contender.

But even with all of his impressive experience, defending the throne is a unique challenge.

Speaking to ONE Championship, the Thai athlete admitted that fighting in front of his home country's audience also adds additional pressure. He explained:

"It’s normal for me to feel the pressure. I just really don’t want to let my fans down."

After earning the illustrious ONE featherweight Muay Thai throne, Tawanchai will look to defend his world title at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video, booked for February 24, against Turkey's Jamal Yusupov. The upcoming ONE Championship fight card is to be hosted at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

ONE Fight Night 7 will be available live and for free on Prime Video for all Amazon subscribers across North America in U.S. primetime.

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Tawanchai PK.Saenchai looks forward to fighting in front of Thai fans

While it does add additional pressure, the 23-year-old Muay Thai specialist is looking forward to performing in front of his home audience in Bangkok, Thailand.

Tawanchai PK.Saenchai explained his point of view in an interview with ONE Championship, saying:

"It’s very encouraging for me to fight where I spent a lot of time in, where all the fans can come to support me. I’ll put all my effort into this fight. I don’t want my fans to be disappointed in me.”

Tawanchai has earned numerous knockout wins with his thunderous kicks and lightning-fast punches. At just the age of 23, he is creating an impressive legacy in ONE Championship.

Tawanchai PK.Saenchai is still young enough that his skills are continuously improving, which is a scary prospect for his contemporaries. Despite looking outstanding in his past bouts, the 23-year-old Thai athlete still wants to add more to his repertoire.

Speaking to ONE, he said:

"You’ll definitely see a new and improved version of me, not only this year, but also in the years to come. I’ll keep showing the world the beauty of authentic Muay Thai striking techniques."