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For those unfamiliar with Tawanchai PK.Saenchai’s road to becoming a ONE world champion, consider this a primer for Friday’s ONE Fight Night 7 event.
ONE Championship has uploaded a near 10-minute highlight reel from every one of the ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion’s fights in the promotion, leading up to his capturing of the belt last September.
Take a look to see what his opponent Jamal Yusupov is up against this weekend:
The young Muay Thai prodigy made his debut with ONE Championship against Sean Clancy in 2021, when he was just 21 years old. Clancy was clearly overmatched as his Thai opponent battered and bloodied him over two rounds.
By the time the third round began, Tawanchai had gathered enough reads on Clancy to be able to land the killshot via a head kick 35 seconds into round three.
He once again displayed his graceful but stinging attack against Niclas Larsen and Saemapetch Fairtex, both of whom he finished with a straight left hand. The two victories set up his first win streak in ONE Championship and granted Tawanchai a shot at Petchmorakot Petchyindee’s featherweight world championship.
He would make the most of the shot with a dazzling, yet exhausting, five-round effort against Petchmorakot that awarded him the ONE world championship in Muay Thai.
Tawanchai will look to add to his growing highlight reel in just a few days as he defends his world title against Russia's Jamal Yusupov in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 7.
Competing in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is an experience of nostalgia for Tawanchai
Sometimes, the setting of the fight matters almost as much as the actual bout.
Like boxing at Madison Square Garden, many young Muay Thai fighters dream of competing in arenas like Bangkok’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. Tawanchai PK.Saenchai is checking off that part of his bucket list this Friday in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 7.
The world champion spoke to ONE Championship about what fighting in the historic arena means to him, as he looks to add his name to the ledger of history:
“It’s the nostalgic feeling. Lumpinee is the most respected stadium, which has accommodated the best Muay Thai fighters. There are so many that become well-known after fighting in this stadium.”
Tawanchai is on his way to becoming another hero honored by the walls of Lumpinee. And, at just 23 years old, it is likely to be the first of many appearances.
Standing against him is Russia’s Jamal Yusupov, who is undefeated in ONE Championship and coming off a win over 'Smokin' Jo Nattawut last July.
The fight is the co-main event of ONE Championship’s seventh straight event at the venue. ONE Fight Night 7 goes down on February 24 and airs in US primetime for subscribers of Amazon Prime in North America.
