Tawanchai wins ONE Championship 2022 Breakout Star of the Year award

The 23-year-old Muay Thai prodigy Tawanchai PK.Saenchai is rightly being awarded the title of ONE’s 2022 Breakout Star of the Year after three incredible wins in the ONE circle this year.

The striking phenom opened the calendar year with two impressive knockouts. The Thai-born athlete first stopped former MTGP welterweight world champion Saemapetch Fairtex with a series of punches. This fight allowed Tawanchai to show off his fast hands.

Next, the 23-year-old Thai-born fighter showed utter domination against Danish-born WBC Muay Thai world titleholder Niclas Larsen. Tawanchai earned a near-flawless victory in this bout and finished it with a lightning-quick punching combination. Larsen was unable to recover from these strikes.

Lastly, Tawanchai faced ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Petchmorakot Petchyindee. Petchmorakot was hoping to add a fourth world title defense to his name, but instead, the 23-year-old stunned the audience.

Striking fans were highly impressed as the young fighter was able to out-point the Muay Thai veteran over five rounds. In the end, the 23-year-old was able to capture the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world title and become ONE’s 2022 Breakout Star Of The Year.

See the full fight below:

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Tawanchai accomplished his dreams in 2022

With three outstanding victories in 2022, Muay Thai phenom Tawanchai exclaimed that he was able to accomplish his dreams. While holding ONE gold after defeating Petchmorakot, Tawanchai explained in an interview with ONE:

“I was excited and happy when [the fight] came to the end of the fifth round. I knew my dream would come true soon and the belt was mine. When I took the belt on my shoulder, I felt like I was in a dream. I didn’t dare to think that an ordinary fighter like me would become the World Champion. I can’t describe my happiness right now.”

The newly crowned ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion is not looking to take too much time away from the ONE circle. He is getting ready to defend his throne against any challengers. The 23-year-old Muay Thai fighter continued:

"I admit that [Superbon] is number one in the world right now. But if ONE offers me the World Title match with him [in Muay Thai], I won’t run away from him."

"It would be a great honor to fight one the world’s best fighters like him. I think I could handle him. [Now that I am] the king of the division, there is no way I would turn any offer down. I’m ready for anyone."

ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon Singha Mawynn has admitted that he would like to challenge for the Muay Thai throne. But first, Superbon has a major challenge ahead of him as he battles Chingiz Allazov at ONE on Prime Video 6 on January 13, 2023.