Mongkolpetch Uses Tactical Striking To Earn Big Win Over Mahmoudi
Mongkolpetch Petchyindee Academy scored his fourth consecutive ONE Super Series win and took a giant step toward challenging ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon.
The Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion earned a majority decision win over #4-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi in their main event catchweight showdown at ONE: FULL BLAST II, which aired on Friday, 11 June.
In pre-bout interviews, Mongkolpetch hinted that he was going to use a “tricky calf kick” to offset his taller opponent, and that’s exactly what he did in the first round. The Thai went right to work, pulverizing Mahmoudi’s left calf and thigh with ripping low kicks.
Mahmoudi, to avoid taking any more damage, began locking the Petchyindee Academy athlete up in the clinch, where he attempted to punish him with knees. The Thai, however, repeatedly neutralized, broke free, and sent straight rights at the French-Algerian.
The highlight of the opening stanza for “The Sniper” came when he evaded one of Mongkolpetch’s right hands and countered with a crisp left hook that sent a shockwave from the Thai’s chin to his toes.
Mahmoudi carried that momentum into round two, where he mixed up his attacks between low kicks, knees, and punches. But it wasn’t long before Mongkolpetch picked up on his foe’s rhythm and began countering to near perfection. Sway backs followed by counter rights, cover-ups followed by left hooks – no matter what Mahmoudi threw, the Thai had an answer.
The French-Algerian, on the other hand, was left guessing. And soon after, he was left on his back. In the fray of a fiery exchange, Mongkolpetch countered Mahmoudi’s step-in knee with a right hand that sent him staggering backward and down where the Circle Wall meets the canvas.
Mahmoudi hopped back to his feet and took the eight-count, but the knockdown deflated the air from his tires, and Mongkolpetch spent the remaining minute locking up the fading French-Algerian in the clinch.
Both men came out swinging in the third and final round, and during an explosive exchange in the pocket, Mahmoudi clipped the Petchyindee Academy star with a short right uppercut. Mongkolpetch, however, continued to close the distance and stifle “The Sniper” in the clinch.
Every time the Mahmoudi Gym representative threw punches or elbows, Mongkolpetch ducked underneath them, stepped in, and wrapped his opponent up before throwing him to the canvas. He repeated the technique a half a dozen times, which not only flustered Mahmoudi but kept him on the winning side of the scorecards.
After three rounds of action, the judges awarded Mongkolpetch with a majority decision win. His crucial victory over the #4-ranked flyweight bumped his record to 115-40-2, surely earned him a spot in the top-five rankings, and potentially put him on track to challenge Rodtang for divisional gold.
Read more: ONE: FULL BLAST II – Full Results For Mahmoudi Vs. Mongkolpetch
