Capitan: My Punches Are ‘Quicker, Heavier’ Than Petchtanong’s
Three-time Muay Thai World Champion Capitan Petchyindee Academy will be a slight underdog in his ONE Super Series debut, but he has plenty of reasons to believe he’ll emerge with his arm raised.
This Friday, 18 September, the Thai star will face his compatriot and fellow promotional newcomer Petchtanong Petchfergus in a ONE Super Series kickboxing matchup at ONE: A NEW BREED III, which was previously recorded in Bangkok, Thailand.
Capitan is very accomplished in “the art of eight limbs,” but he is relatively new to the sport of kickboxing. Conversely, his 34-year-old rival is considered one of the greatest bantamweight kickboxers on the planet.
“Petchtanong has a lot of experience in the ring,” the Petchyindee Academy star says.
“He has much more experience than me – especially in kickboxing, where he is one of the best in the world for this weight class. Also, I only fought [under kickboxing rules] once in my life.”
Indeed, the 34-year-old Petchtanong is a six-time Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion who owns an extraordinary professional record of 356-55-1. Along the way, he’s earned victories over highly revered names like Jomthong Chuwattana, Yang Zhuo, and Sergey Kulyaba.
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The veteran will bring his extensive kickboxing background, tried-and-tested skills, and a 5-centimeter height advantage into Friday’s contest.
But Capitan will not let his countryman’s stature intimidate him. While the 27-year-old lacks the kickboxing experience of his rival, he will rely on his youth and the power in his fists to help make up the difference.
“I won’t worry about his height. It will not be a problem for me,” the Petchyindee Academy representative says. “I think my age, being younger than him by seven years, would be something that he should think about.
“I think my amateur boxing skills will help me a lot, too. Because of that, I should have better, quicker, and heavier punches.”
Plus, Capitan’s resume is plenty impressive. The Muay Thai star has compiled a 140-40 professional record, and his powerful boxing and kicks could make for a promising transition to kickboxing.
Supporting that transition is his coach, Boonberkfah, who led Petchdam “The Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy to the inaugural ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship in May 2019.
“He trains me hard on my punches, which are my well-known weapons,” Capitan says of Boonberkfah.
“One other trainer is Kongpipop, who helps me understand how to better deal with southpaw opponents.”
With the help of those coaches, Capitan could very well unlock his immense potential on Friday. If he does, the bantamweight kickboxing division could have yet another world-class contender in its ranks.
Read more: What’s At Stake For The Stars Of ONE: A NEW BREED III
