‘I Am Ready To Shock Them Again’ – Joseph Lasiri Predicts Another World Title Win Over Prajanchai
Joseph “The Hurricane” Lasiri can’t wait to prove a point at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Friday, December 22.
The ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion will defend his belt in a unification battle with Prajanchai PK Saenchai at ONE Friday Fights 46: Tawanchai vs. Superbon in Bangkok, Thailand, and he’s ready to silence any doubters in their highly anticipated rematch.
The Moroccan-Italian striker upset Prajanchai to win the gold in May 2022, but he’s been out of action since his subsequent defeat to Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon for the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Title last November.
Meanwhile, Prajanchai has gone on a tear, winning three straight bouts while claiming the interim strawweight belt. That has led some fans and pundits to dismiss the result of the first fight, believing the Thai superstar was simply having an off-day.
For his part, Lasiri told onefc.com that he’s eager to show his victory was no fluke:
“I just had an injury that took me a lot of time to come back from, but now, everything is okay. It’s a year since my last fight against Rodtang, but this doesn’t give me any pressure. I’m ready. I’m always in the gym, so I am ready to fight. It was time for me to get better, but now everything is okay.
“I continued to train even when I was injured, doing what I could and following my doctor’s instructions, but I have been training fully since September.
“I want to show the people that the win wasn’t lucky. I really want to confirm my World Title against a big name. Everyone knows Prajanchai. When he lost against me, many people were shocked, and I am ready to shock them again.”
Lasiri has heard the comments about his victory over Prajanchai at ONE 157, but he certainly doesn’t agree with them.
After taking three rounds of punishment in that battle, the Thai quit on his stool, and “The Hurricane” put himself among the world’s martial arts elite as a ONE World Champion.
Looking back, Lasiri won’t entertain the thought that he was somehow “lucky” that night. He also isn’t fazed by entering their rematch as the underdog once again – despite his emphatic victory:
“If someone has never had a fight, they can think [it was lucky]. But if you’re in the arena, it is never lucky. If you have a game plan and you think it will be easy [like Prajanchai], if you don’t have Plan B, you can take the consequences and lose. This time, I will fight with 100 percent Prajanchai, so for me, it is more exciting.
“I will come there as the champion because I won the belt, and I deserve that. But like last year, I will be the underdog, just waiting for the time to do my job.”
Lasiri Expects Another Finish: ‘I Will Do It With Pressure’
Joseph Lasiri has kept a close eye on the action in his division while he’s been on the sidelines, and Prajanchai’s scintillating form hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion has rattled off impressive wins over some elite opposition, including his title-winning victory over Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.
“The Hurricane” knows that Prajanchai at full throttle is a tough night for anyone, and he expects a different beast when they clash again in Bangkok.
The 32-year-old said:
“For me, he took the first fight very easily. That was the mistake, so everything came from that decision. Now he came back, he won three fights, he won them well, and I hope he will come at his best.
“I think this time, he will take it more seriously. He will wait for me to try to counter and not be aggressive. He will just want to check me out when we’re in the ring, but I will not hold anything back.
“If you leave Prajanchai to work with his IQ in the Muay Thai style, you will never win. I will fight dirty. I will try to pressure him. I will make sure I’m in front of him every time to make it a physical fight and a dirty fight.”
While Lasiri is proud of winning the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title, he’s not only focused on retaining his gold.
Following an admittedly lackluster performance against Rodtang, the Kick and Punch Milano representative is hoping to deliver a riveting matchup that will remind the global fan base what he’s all about.
If he can do that, he’s confident the result will take care of itself and see him leave Lumpinee Boxing Stadium with the belt still over his shoulder:
“I will go there to give my best performance. I am not going just to keep my belt. I want to show everything to the fans. I want to go there and have a war.
“This time, he will come at his best, at 100 percent, I’m sure about that, but he will find Joseph Lasiri at 200 percent. It will be the fight of the night, for sure.
“For me, the prediction is I will beat Prajanchai in round four by KO. I will do it with pressure.”
