Tawanchai recalls touching story of his father buying him Muay Thai equipment for the first time

Tawanchai PK Saenchai wouldn’t be the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion if not for the support of his doting father, who pushed him to greatness in ‘The Art of Eight Limbs’.

In fact, the 24-year-old phenom wouldn’t have been able to train in the sport in the first place, had his old man not made this touching gesture.

The Thai superstar shared this heartwarming story, ahead of his much-awaited kickboxing debut at ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs Grigorian on Prime Video against the dangerous Davit Kiria:

“When I decided to learn Muay Thai, I just told my him: ‘Daddy, I want to learn Muay Thai,’” he told ONE Championship. “And without any hesitation or doubts, he just gave me full support. He bought me sandbags, gloves, and other Muay Thai equipment.”

What makes this touching story even more incredible is the fact that Tawanchai’s family endured some financial hardships early on.

After living a modest life, the Pattaya native also revealed that his family hit a rough patch, which further ignited his desire to be great in Muay Thai and be able to provide.

Through sheer determination and hard work, along with his prodigious talent, Tawanchai is now one of the most recognizable strikers in the world at such a young age.

The PK Saenchai Gym product has certainly given back to his family, especially to his father who made it possible for him to achieve the heights he reached. Tawanchai, who now seeks two-sport supremacy by also winning gold in the kickboxing ranks, begins his next journey against Kiria at ONE Fight Night 13.

The star-studded event will emanate from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium on August 4. Prime Video subscribers in North America can catch the stacked event live and free of charge.