“My weapons felt weak” - Tawanchai admits he’s still gutted after his stunning defeat to Masaaki Noiri in Japan

Tawanchai PK Saenchai knew something went wrong mere moments before he faced off against Masaaki Noiri in Japan.

The reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion failed in his bid for two-sport supremacy when he lost to Noiri via technical knockout for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title at ONE 172.

In an interview on Sinsamut Klinmee's YouTube channel, Tawanchai said he wasn't his usual self when he faced Noiri at the historic Saitama Super Arena.

Tawanchai added that he wasn't at his usual pace and failed to generate the power he so often used to knock his opponents out. He said:

"I sincerely apologize to everyone for my poor performance. I admit I wasn't at my best. Once I was in the ring, I couldn't execute my techniques as planned; my weapons felt weak. I also couldn't sleep that night, and my nutrition wasn't properly prepared."

Tawanchai entered the match as a huge favorite over the hometown hero, but Noiri neutralized the featherweight Muay Thai king with a patient game plan in the first two rounds.

Noiri eventually pushed the pace in the third round when he purposely targeted Tawanchai's midsection before going upstairs for the power finish. After walking Tawanchai near the ropes, Noiri unleashed a terrifying left hook to the body and another left hook to the jaw that dropped the Thai superstar.

Noiri knew he had the momentum and unloaded a barrage of punches that broke through Tawanchai's guard, forcing the referee to stop the match 1:55 into the third.

Watch Tawanchai's entire interview below:

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Tawanchai thanks his fans for their support following his stunning defeat to Masaaki Noiri

Tawanchai PK Saenchai didn't deal with the loss on his own.

After his stunning TKO defeat to Masaaki Noiri at ONE 172, an outpouring of support flooded Tawanchai's social media pages.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Tawanchai told his fans not to worry about him and that he'll inevitably bounce back once he's medically cleared to compete. He said:

"Thank you so much, everyone, for supporting me on social media, every channel, and in every way. Thank you so much. It means a lot to me, and it helps me not to dwell on the defeat for too long. Every comment and every message of support, makes me feel better and truly appreciated."