‘Make Every Fight A War’ – Xavier Gonzalez Vows To Unleash Chaos Against Exza Wankhongohm At The Inner Circle 36
Narrow decision losses can easily haunt a fighter, but for Xavier Gonzalez, his recent setback simply erased all hesitation.
The Spanish striker carries a massive chip on his shoulder into his 15th ONE Championship appearance.
He will meet promotional debutant Exza Wankhongohm in a flyweight Muay Thai clash at The Inner Circle 36 on Friday, October 30, streaming live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium exclusively for members at live.onefc.com.
Just months earlier, Gonzalez was firing on all cylinders. The Spaniard knocked out Payaksurin JP Power in the first round at The Inner Circle 17 in early June, and then he flattened Chatanan Apichat Muaythai in the second frame at The Inner Circle 19 just two weeks later.
However, at The Inner Circle 30 this past September, Myanmar striker Thway Lin Htet brought that impressive momentum to a sudden halt, edging Gonzalez by split decision after a closely contested battle in which each man had his moments.
In the 25-year-old’s eyes, though, the scorecards told a vastly different story than the one he actually lived inside the ring.
Gonzalez told onefc.com:
“I was pretty confident I won because he just ran. I got tired from chasing him, but I saw that my strikes landed cleaner and made him flinch. He did land some kicks on me, but they didn’t faze me at all. No reaction.
“I was really heartbroken at the time, but whatever the judges decide is out of my hands. So I was upset for a day or two, and then that was it. Life moves on.”
Looking back, Gonzalez understands that caution cost him the victory. Wary of Thway Lin Htet’s sharp counters, the usually fearless marauder uncharacteristically held back from fully committing to his combinations.
That defeat served as a harsh wake-up call. Against Exza, he plans to prove he has taken those lessons directly to heart.
The Tor Sangtiennoi representative said:
“For my next fight, I’m not going to overthink anymore. If I get hit by my opponent’s strikes, I’ll just bite down on my mouthpiece and fire back.
“I realized my mistake last time was starting too slow. There won’t be any of that next time. Moving forward, I won’t overthink anything. I’m just going to march forward and stick to my own style.”
While facing a promotional newcomer might look like a favorable draw on paper, Gonzalez expects a grueling test. Exza may be new to ONE, but he arrives boasting a 60-15 record forged across the unforgiving Thai stadium circuit.
Having navigated the extreme highs and lows of the weekly series, the Spanish striker knows the 4-ounce gloves act as the ultimate equalizer.
Gonzalez explained:
“He hasn’t fought in ONE yet, and that’s the only advantage I have. But in terms of overall experience and ring miles, he actually has way more than me.
“He has good technical skills, but his real weapon is his leg kicks. I think he’s a well-rounded fighter who can handle both brawling and technical fights.”
Gonzalez Only Knows One Way To Fight
A single razor-thin result will not alter Xavier Gonzalez’s fighting DNA. Four of his seven ONE Championship victories have arrived by clean knockout, and through 14 promotional battles, he has never been stopped.
Backing up simply does not exist in the unapologetic gunslinger’s vocabulary, and Exza Wankhongohm should not expect that to change this Friday.
He said:
“I’ve never come to ONE to just fight for a decision. Never. Every single time I step in there, my goal is to get a stoppage and win a bonus. I never think about just winning on points. I want to finish the fight and get that bonus every single time.”
There will be absolutely no feeling-out process for Gonzalez. Living and dying by his relentless forward pressure, he plans to immediately drag Exza into the deep waters, where tactical game plans unravel and only the grittiest man is left standing.
It is the exact kind of firefight he was built for, and he is openly daring the Thai debutant to match his chaos.
He concluded:
“I come to fight, I make it exciting, and I always press forward no matter what. Win or lose, I give it my absolute all and try to make every fight a war. But sometimes it doesn’t depend on just me. It depends on the opponent, too.
“Exza, let’s leave it all in the ring. It’s going to be an explosive, bloody war. I’m fully ready for a brawl, so you better come prepared. Let’s go out there and throw down with everything we’ve got!”
