‘I Won’t Back Down’ – Panpayak Determined To Keep Unbeaten Kickboxing Run Alive Against Anuar Cisneros At The Inner Circle 23
“The Angel Warrior” Panpayak Jitmuangnon has yet to taste defeat under kickboxing rules in ONE Championship, and he has every intention of keeping that pristine record intact at The Inner Circle 23 on Friday, July 24.
The seven-time Muay Thai World Champion locks horns against Anuar “Bad Boy” Cisneros in a co-main event bantamweight kickboxing clash, just before Sam-A Gaiyanghadao and Aliff Sor Dechapan collide for the ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in Bangkok’s decorated Lumpinee Stadium.
Fight fans can gain exclusive access to the complete Asia primetime card with a subscription at live.onefc.com.
Across a storied career, the Jitmuangnon Gym and Phuket Fight Club representative has already established himself among Muay Thai’s best. He carried that form onto the global stage, even winning the 2022 Knockout of the Year courtesy of a head-kick finish.
His move into kickboxing, however, has provided him with something entirely different: a clean slate and three straight victories, the most recent of which came against Othman “The Ironside” Rhouni at ONE Friday Fights 155 this past May.
That result carried real significance for the 30-year-old’s mindset heading into this 12th appearance on the global stage.
Panpayak said:
“Returning to kickboxing and securing another win boosted my confidence and motivation immensely. After my recent struggles in Muay Thai, this feels like a fresh start on a path where I can perform much better.”
Getting his hand raised against Rhouni, however, did not leave “The Angel Warrior” fully satisfied. Across the three-round battle with the Moroccan, Panpayak felt like he could have displayed a more dominant performance.
The veteran remains his own harshest critic, and he sees plenty of room to sharpen his game before stepping through the ropes against Cisneros.
He continued:
“I still need to improve my footwork and diversify my striking arsenal [in kickboxing]. Since I’ve been away from this rule set for a long time, there are several areas to fix.
“But having back-to-back fights scheduled is great for my skill development. I am fully prepared to prove myself in kickboxing.”
Having identified exactly where those gaps exist, the Thai has left no stone unturned throughout fight camp, spending the bulk of his preparation at Phuket Fight Club.
The gym has quickly built a reputation as one of the sport’s premier destinations, already home to ONE World Champions Stella “Always Hungry” Hemetsberger and Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.
Panpayak has drawn heavily on that world-class environment to elevate his game at The Inner Circle 23:
“I am confident that my performance in this fight will be much better. You can see it in my training – my hunger and physical condition have visibly improved.
“For this camp, I trained full-time in kickboxing style, enhancing my boxing techniques and footwork. This made me feel more agile and better at finding attack angles. I’m ready to give it my all out there and won’t disappoint anyone.”
Panpayak’s Game Plan For Victory
That renewed sharpness has also translated into a clear read on exactly how Panpayak Jitmuangnon believes this matchup will unfold once the bell rings.
Anuar Cisneros kicked off his promotional tenure with two wins in succession before a defeat to Khundet PK Saenchai in his most recent appearance. Despite that setback, Panpayak is treating the Mexican dynamo as every bit the live threat his skill set suggests.
He said:
“He is a dangerous opponent – tall, lethal with every strike, and maintains a relentless output. I have studied Anuar’s fight style, and my trainer has helped build a game plan to target his weaknesses.
“My leg kicks should give me the edge, though he might have the advantage in punching. But we’ll see how the fight unfolds once we start exchanging blows in the ring.”
For a seven-time Muay Thai World Champion still building his legacy in a second discipline, this fight carries weight well beyond a simple result on the scorecards.
Panpayak understands exactly what is at stake, both for his growing kickboxing resume and his broader standing across the promotion.
As such, “The Angel Warrior” is ready to leave nothing in reserve as he chases the 252nd win of his career at The Inner Circle 23.
He said:
“In this fight, I won’t back down. I will look for openings to land continuous attacks. I want to finish the fight decisively and avoid a sluggish performance like last time. I can’t afford to slip up.
“This victory is crucial. I am confident I can maintain my undefeated kickboxing record in ONE. I want to succeed on one of these paths and keep proving myself across rule sets to find what works best. I hope this route turns out to be the right answer.”
