Tawanchai says he was drawn to Muay Thai to help his family financially

ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK.Saenchai had a similar journey into martial arts as many other competitors.

The 23-year-old Thai superstar has accomplished a lot already in his career, winning three fights last year to become the world champion and be named as ONE Championship’s 2022 Muay Thai Fighter of the Year.

Whilst he is now focused on maintaining his success and establishing a legacy in the sport, his beginnings in Muay Thai were far more humble.

In a video posted by ONE Championship on YouTube, the reigning world champion spoke about his origins in Muay Thai and how his training came around due to necessity:

“I had a rough childhood. My dad used to live comfortably, but he went bankrupt and had to sell everything. After that I began to train Muay Thai. I competed for the first time when I was just seven years old, I won by first-round knockout. It was a three-round fight in a bar.”

Check out the full video below:

After such humble beginnings in Muay Thai, Tawanchai is reaping the rewards of his dedication to his training as one of the top competitors in the sport today.

In his first appearance of the year at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video, the defending champion will look to continue his incredible form from 2022 by defeating Jamal Yusupov.

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Tawanchai talks about Jamal Yusupov’s strengths and weaknesses

At ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video, Tawanchai PK.Saenchai will look to defend his ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship for the very first time.

In the co-main event on February 24, the defending champion will face Turkey’s Jamal Yusupov, the No.2-ranked contender in the featherweight Muay Thai division.

After a breakout year in 2022, Tawanchai knows that he cannot rest on his recent performances, especially with an opponent like Yusupov waiting just around the corner. With three consecutive wins inside the circle against Yodsanklai, Samy Sana and Jo Nattawut, Yusupov is a very dangerous challenger.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Tawanchai spoke about the dangers that his upcoming title challenger brings to the table:

“[Yusupov’s] strength is heavy, strong punches. He hardly has any weaknesses. He’s one of the strongest fighters. You can’t underestimate him in any way.”

ONE Fight Night 7, featuring the co-main event clash for the featherweight Muay Thai world championship, is live from the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on February 24. The event will also air live and for free via Prime Video for North American viewers.