‘I’m Truly Happy For Them To Chase Their Dream’ – Tawanchai Reflects On His Decision To Step Down From His Throne
Tawanchai PK Saenchai never wanted this day to come. But World Champions do what World Champions do, and that means never holding a division back while chasing personal glory.
He vacated his ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title on Tuesday, July 21, clearing the path for Nico “King of the North” Carrillo to be elevated from interim titleholder to undisputed divisional king.
The decision comes down to more than just his recovery timeline from the injury he suffered during his clash against “Spirit Dragon” Liu Mengyang, which required surgery and an extended rehabilitation process that has kept him sidelined since December 2025.
Tawanchai has built a legacy few in the sport can match, and stepping away from the throne carries genuine weight for a fighter of his stature.
The 27-year-old said:
“Throughout my reign as champion, I felt so happy and honored to defend my belt in front of fans all over the world. Every athlete dreams of holding onto their title for as long as possible, and I’m no exception.
“But after taking time to reflect, especially regarding my injury, I am officially announcing that I am vacating my World Championship Title today. I want to give the interim champion and the top-ranked contenders the chance to chase their dreams.”
He made clear that nobody twisted his arm into making this call, too.
Having spent years understanding exactly what a shot at gold means to every fighter chasing a title, the PK Saenchai Muaythaigym megastar arrived at this decision entirely on his own terms.
Tawanchai continued:
“I thought this through carefully and realized this is the right path so the organization can keep moving forward. I want to see other fighters get their shot, and I want the fans to stay happy watching the new generation compete.
“I’d like to thank Mr. Sia Khaek (owner of PK Saenchai) for always taking care of me, ONE Championship for all the opportunities and support, and most importantly, every single fan for your encouragement and cheers.”
Despite stepping down from his spot atop the division, Tawanchai guaranteed fans that he is far from done chasing greatness in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
The Thai is focused on recovery for now, but when he returns, the 134-win veteran plans to come back firing on all cylinders in pursuit of the very gold he just relinquished.
Tawanchai declared:
“Congratulations to them. I’m truly happy for them to chase their dream. We will definitely cross paths in the ring.
“Right now, I just want to focus on my recovery. Once I’m back, I’ll put on a great performance without putting extra pressure on myself, and just take it fight by fight.”
Tawanchai’s Road Back To Gold
Tawanchai PK Saenchai has largely stayed out of the spotlight since suffering the injury, choosing to let his recovery play out away from constant public scrutiny.
That changed as he addressed the situation head-on, giving fans their first real look at where things currently stand.
He said:
“I wanted to give you all an update on my condition, as I haven’t really done a proper interview since getting injured.
“I’m currently back to about 70 to 80 percent. I expect to make my return pretty soon, likely early next year.”
With that timeline now in view, attention naturally shifts to what Tawanchai does once he is medically cleared.
The former divisional king has already made it known which discipline takes priority the moment he steps back inside the ring.
Tawanchai concluded:
“I am 100 percent sticking with Muay Thai for sure. As for kickboxing, I still have that dream. I still have unfinished business with that belt.”
