Tawanchai says he has “to take Superbon down again” once he gets past Masaaki Noiri in interim title clash at ONE 172 

Tawanchai PK Saenchai's quest to become the best fighter of his weight class won't have its conclusion in Japan.

The Thai megastar has a shot at a second piece of ONE Championship gold when he takes on Masaaki Noiri for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title in the co-main event of ONE 172 at the hallowed Saitama Super Arena.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Tawanchai said a victory over Noiri is a crucial step in his ultimate goal of becoming the undisputed Muay Thai and kickboxing king of the featherweight class.

Tawanchai stressed that after he gets past Noiri, he has to take on fellow megastar Superbon for the undisputed featherweight kickboxing throne.

He said:

"After winning the interim belt, my next goal is to become the undisputed kickboxing champion. Which means I have to take Superbon down again."

Tawanchai and Superbon already met twice in their ONE Championship careers, with the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion emerging victorious in his two world title defenses.

The 25-year-old outclassed Superbon via unanimous decision in a technical classic to retain his gold at ONE Friday Fights 46 in December 2023.

Superbon had another shot at Tawanchai's throne at ONE 170, but the ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion didn't fare any better in the rematch.

Tawanchai was a rejuvenated man in the January 2024 matchup, and he dominated Superbon for the second-round stoppage to retain the featherweight Muay Thai strap.

Now on a nine-fight winning streak, Tawanchai looks to make it 10 straight as he seeks interim kickboxing gold at the expense of Noiri in ONE Championship's return to Japan.

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

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Tawanchai says kickboxing gold adds a new luster to his legacy

Tawanchai's career in the 'art of eight limbs' is practically deified, but he's not content with being one of his generation's greatest Muay Thai artists.

The ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion expressed his desire to conquer kickboxing in ONE Championship to cement his legacy further.

In an interview with the promotion, Tawanchai said:

"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.”