Tawanchai Aims To Dominate Nattawut At ONE 167 After ‘Careless’ Performance In First Fight
Tawanchai PK Saenchai is looking to set the record straight when he defends his ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title against “Smokin” Jo Nattawut in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 7.
The Thai stars will rematch in the main event of ONE 167 on Prime Video following Tawanchai’s razor-close kickboxing victory last October, where both men were pushed to their limits.
Stepping in for the injured Superbon at late notice, Nattawut’s performance shocked a lot of people, but Tawanchai wants to show that he is a cut above “Smokin” Jo over five rounds of Muay Thai
With that in mind, the reigning king is promising an improved showing at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand:
“I was happy when I knew that I would be defending my Muay Thai belt against Jo because it will seal the lips of critics from our first fight. I received quite a bit of criticism from that fight.
“He said he only practiced for three days and he could fight me like that. For this fight, I will give him three months to practice.
“In the last fight, I didn’t have time to prepare and couldn’t make any game plan for him. But for this fight, I prepared 100 percent. I think I can perform better.”
While it’s true that Nattawut did not have much time to prepare for their original meeting, Tawanchai also had to switch from Muay Thai to kickboxing after a long training camp in “the art of eight limbs.”
With less experience in the sport than his opponent, the PK Saenchai representative needed some time to find his rhythm, but he has taken some key lessons from that contest:
“From that fight, you can see that Jo is really good at kickboxing. He made the fight quite close. I was a bit surprised that he could fight with me so closely like that.
“I learned that you can’t underestimate him at all. I admit that I was really careless. That fight gave me many ideas to apply. In this fight, I will definitely not be as careless as before.”
Tawanchai Respects ‘Dangerous’ Challenger Nattawut
Tawanchai PK Saenchai is known as a cerebral fighter, and he plans to utilize both brains and brawn in his rematch with Jo Nattawut.
The 25-year-old has a lot of respect for his compatriot’s skills and resume, but after battling him for three rounds last year, he feels better equipped for their second encounter.
He said of “Smokin” Jo:
“I have always followed Jo’s fight in Muay Thai in ONE. He is considered one of the best. He is a boxer with heavy punches and is very strong.
“His most dangerous weapons are his heavy hands. He has good combinations, but I have already prepared a plan to deal with it.
“I have focused on building a strong body, and as for the brain, I am already smart enough, so I will adapt in the ring.”
Tawanchai has delivered five impressive stoppages in his eight ONE wins to date and a finish is always high on his agenda.
But while he’d love to make bold claims about knocking out his rival in front of a massive crowd at the Impact Arena, he’s also realistic about the chances of that happening against somebody as tough as Nattawut.
Instead, he plans on taking the win in an exciting fight, and if the opportunity presents itself, he’ll take it.
Tawanchai added:
“Every time I step up on the stage, I want a bonus. Everyone wants to knock their opponent out. But let’s see what will happen in the ring. It won’t be easy to win by knockout in this fight.
“I guess that this fight might go the distance. If I say someone is going to get knocked out, it would seem like I’m exaggerating a lot. Let’s wait to see an exciting battle.”
