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Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai realized a lifelong dream when he unseated Petchmorakot Petchyindee to become the undisputed ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion.
After going 3-1 in his first four fights inside the circle, which included back-to-back knockout wins against Saemapatech Fairtex and Niclas Larsen, the 23-year-old Thai phenom was finally given a shot against the 28-year-old star at ONE 161 last week.
After five grueling rounds of striking mastery, Tawanchai got the nod from the judges and took home the shiny gold strap with a unanimous decision victory.
He pushed the formerly untouchable world champion to the limit, punishing him with his best shots through 25 minutes of non-stop action.
In an exclusive interview with ONE Championship, Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai described arguably the best moment of his career against a worthy opponent like Petchmorakot, no less. He shared:
“This fight, I will say that it was fun. It was entertaining. I was really tired but it was all great. It feels so great. I felt that it was one of the best fights of my life, and I think everyone in the world sees this as well.”
Trying to unseat the Petchyindee Academy product was no easy feat. Petchmorakot, after all, has defended his gold strap thrice since winning the inaugural flyweight Muay Thai crown in 2019.
Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai, however, has always believed that he was destined to become a world champion. It didn’t matter who he had to run through to get it done, but he eventually accomplished his life-long goal.
Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai receives a hero’s welcome back in PK.Saenchai Muay Thai gym
The red carpet was rolled out for Tawanchai when he returned to the PK. Saenchai Muay Thai gym in Bangkok, Thailand.
Instead of coming in with his usual training gear, the striking savant entered his training ground with 26.4 lbs of precious gold on his shoulders.
His coaches and teammates cheered him on, as Tawanchai brought in the ultimate symbol of hard work and dedication to his craft.
Tawanchai’s arrival was definitely a morale boost for the team. Seeing one of their own with ONE gold was no doubt a proud moment.
Watch Tawanchai’s heart-warming reception below:
