Tawanchai says beating Masaaki Noiri at ONE 172 for interim gold proves that he can be “one of the best kickboxers in the world”

Tawanchai PK Saenchai has already established his name as one of this generation's greatest Muay Thai artists, and he now aspires to reach the same heights in kickboxing.

The Thai superstar will take on Masaaki Noiri for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title in the co-main event of the stacked ONE 172 card on Sunday at the historic Saitama Super Arena.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Tawanchai said he's determined to truly showcase his kickboxing chops, especially after his close decision win over Jo Nattawut in October 2023.

The reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion said:

"Yes, I would like everyone to wait and see. I understand that people might judge me for my previous fights, especially the fight with Jo Nattawut. It’s just because that fight was changed rapidly - I was supposed to fight in some other ruleset, but then it was changed."

He added:

"But if you give me time, like one month, two months, I feel like I can prove to the fans that I am one of the best kickboxers in the world."

Despite holding a perfect 2-0 record in his kickboxing matches in ONE Championship, including a bone-breaking knockout of Davit Kiria, fans believe Tawanchai has yet to fulfill his true potential in the sport.

His second kickboxing win in the promotion added fuel to that notion when he took on Jo Nattawut at ONE Fight Night 15.

Although he took the unanimous decision win, fans often speculate that the match could've gone either way.

Tawanchai, nonetheless, has the opportunity to prove that he can become one of this generation's best kickboxers if he gets past Noiri this Sunday.

ONE 172 is available live on pay-per-view at watch.onefc.com.

Watch Tawanchai's entire interview below:

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Tawanchai says kickboxing gold would further strengthen his legacy

Tawanchai doesn't have to prove too much in Muay Thai, at least in the current era, but he believes kickboxing gold would further solidify his case as one of this generation's best strikers.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Tawanchai said winning the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title at ONE 172 is crucial in taking his career to the next level.

"Compared to Muay Thai, let’s just say I love Muay Thai. Kickboxing is another challenge. I try to adjust my style to be the most suitable for kickboxing.”