‘I Will Spare No Effort’ – Zhang Peimian Ready To Leave It All In The Ring Against Thongpoon At ONE Friday Fights 137
Former ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title challenger “Fighting Rooster” Zhang Peimian is ready to reclaim his status as one of the division’s most dangerous contenders.
The 22-year-old Chinese phenom will look to snap his two-fight skid when he faces charismatic Thai striker Thongpoon PK Saenchai in a strawweight kickboxing showdown at ONE Friday Fights 137: Tawanchai vs. Liu on Friday, December 19, live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
Zhang’s recent struggles stand in stark contrast to the meteoric rise that made him one of China’s most exciting prospects.
After winning the Road to ONE: China tournament in 2021 to earn his main roster contract, the young striker reeled off two victories before challenging Jonathan Di Bella for the vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title. Although he gave the Canadian-Italian a tough five-round battle, Zhang came up short in his first ONE World Title bid.
Since that heartbreaking setback, Zhang’s career has seen more lows than highs. He dropped a unanimous decision to Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao.
The Chinese striker also dropped a pair of split decisions to European Kickboxing Champion Rui Botelho, with their most recent encounter proving particularly frustrating for the 22-year-old.
Speaking to onefc.com ahead of his crucial bout with Thongpoon, Zhang didn’t hold back his feelings about the controversial decision:
“It was just another fight of my career, I think I did well and executed our game plan, it just wasn’t going our way.
“I know I was the winner, the judge might not agree with it but I’m the one who pushed forward for three rounds and he was the one running, not to say how many negative actions he performed, and he clinched and hugged me way beyond the scope of rules.”
Despite the frustration, Zhang maintains his singular focus on improvement and forward momentum. With a career slate of 18-5 and four victories in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the Chinese star understands that dwelling on controversial decisions won’t help him climb back into World Title contention.
When asked about his two-fight skid and the importance of his upcoming bout, Zhang kept his response characteristically determined:
“I take every single fight of my career as the most important fight, and I will spare no effort to keep moving.”
The matchup with Thongpoon presents a fresh challenge for Zhang.
The 28-year-old Thai striker brings a 5-3 ONE record into the bout and will be making his promotional kickboxing debut after competing exclusively in Muay Thai under the ONE banner. Coming off a knockout loss in April 2025, Thongpoon will be equally motivated to get back in the win column.
Zhang recognizes the danger his opponent presents, particularly the explosive power that has made Thongpoon a fan favorite throughout his career.
The Chinese phenom said:
“Thongpoon is a great fighter, a very fun fighter to watch, he’s got devastating power in his hand, I believe this is going to be one of the most exciting fights of the night.”
Zhang Peimian Ready To Deliver Explosive Performance
Zhang Peimian has built his reputation on an aggressive, fan-friendly style that prioritizes forward pressure and heavy striking. That approach has served him well throughout his career, and he has no intention of changing his identity now.
Against Thongpoon, Zhang will face the type of opponent he relishes most — a Thai striker with devastating power and an iron chin. The Chinese fighter has always enjoyed testing himself against Muay Thai-skilled athletes, appreciating both their toughness and the exciting fights that result from stylistic clashes.
Zhang explained his enthusiasm for these matchups.
He said:
“These Muay Thai-based athletes are hard as a rock, I love fighting them, they might not be the smoothest like those boxers or Japanese, but when they hit, they hit so hard, and I’m very impressed how crazy they can take hits, especially the Thais, and it always makes the fight fun to watch.”
The 22-year-old Peimian will be looking to press forward from the opening bell, searching for the knockout finish that could emphatically end his losing streak and re-establish his position in the strawweight kickboxing division.
However, Zhang also maintains realistic expectations about how the fight might unfold. Given both fighters’ durability and similar forward-marching styles, he anticipates a grueling battle that could go the full distance.
The Chinese striker outlined his game plan:
“I will do what I always do, pressing forward, hit hard, looking for a finish, and give the fans what they expected on Zhang Peimian as always.
“Although we both like to march forward but I kind of feel like this is going to be a fight that ends by decision, since we are both hard to be finished.”
