" I wanted to have sharper punches" - Petchmorakot on developing a 4-0 boxing record during his absence from the ONE circle

Petchmorakot Petchyindee isn’t your average run-of-the-mill fighter.

It’s perfectly acceptable for Muay Thai artists to go a few more rounds in the bag or in the mitts to develop their punching arsenal, but that wasn’t what Petchmorakot did.

The ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion decided that for him to have stronger punches, all he needed to do was get a professional license and become a boxer.

Petchmorakot owns a perfect 4-0 boxing record, with two of those wins coming via knockout. In an interview with Dylan Bowker for ONE Championship, the all-round striker said that his quick sojourn was meant to keep himself active and develop a better punching game.

He said through a translator:

“I wanted to keep myself active while waiting for fights. I competed in those boxing matches because I wanted to have sharper punches. That’s why I thought that this was a good opportunity to try.”

The Muay Thai champion added:

“I did a few boxing matches because I wanted to warm myself up. I want to be active inside the ring, and I just wanted sharper punches so I tried to do it. It was a good opportunity for me to try during that time when I didn’t have any fights.”

The 28-year-old was in the middle of his reign with the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship when he decided to try his hand at professional boxing. He had one fight in 2020 and three in 2021, all of which happened in between his fights in ONE Championship.

The Petchyindee Academy fighter collected two unanimous decision wins in the first half of his boxing career and a couple of knockout victories in the latter.

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Petchmorakot is a Muay Thai lifer

Despite a budding career in the 'sweet science', Petchmorakot said that it was just a temporary jump and that his life’s mission is to be a Muay Thai artist.

The striking superstar started training in Thailand’s national sport when he was a mere schoolkid and it was when in his teens when he realized that being a Muay Thai artist would be the career he would take.

“Definitely I’ll stay in Muay Thai. I was born with Muay Thai and I grew up with Muay Thai. Muay Thai is my career. I started training in Muay Thai when I was nine or 10, then I realized that Muay Thai can become my career when I was 15. Since then I’ve been competing in the sport, and I love it.”

Catch the champion back in Muay Thai action at ONE 157 on May 20, when he'll square off against Jimmy Vienot.