‘Plenty Of Fight Left In Me’ – Yamin Draws Inspiration From Suakim, Yod-IQ, And Sam-A Ahead Of The Inner Circle 31
Yamin PK Saenchai once heard critics write off his career entirely. Now he returns determined to silence every doubter, fortified by the brotherhood of three decorated fighters who know firsthand what it takes to rise above adversity.
That resurgence takes him back to the global stage in the co-main event of The Inner Circle 31 this Friday, September 18. The 30-year-old makes his bantamweight kickboxing debut against Alexey Balyko, with the event streaming for members at live.onefc.com in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
Yamin opened his ONE account with scintillating back-to-back stoppage wins over Zhang “Chinese Tiger” Jinhu and Joachim “Pantera” Ouraghi. However, he soon found himself on the other side of the coin, suffering consecutive, disheartening knockout losses.
The outside noise grew deafening, but Yamin chose to tune in only to the voices that mattered most. Support from former three-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion Suakim Pongsuphan PK and newly minted ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri softened the blow and gave him genuine hope.
The PK Saenchai Muaythaigym representative said:
“After back-to-back losses, the criticism from fans was pretty harsh. Some people even said my career was over and that I should just retire. But personally, I didn’t see it that way.
“Seeing people close to me like Suakim, Yod-IQ, and Sam-A still performing at a high level kept my fire burning. I never once thought about hanging up the gloves.”
Yamin watched in pure awe as Suakim pulled off one of the year’s biggest upsets, grinding former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane down in an epic three-round war at The Inner Circle 25. Yod-IQ then topped it, defeating Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon at The Inner Circle 30 to claim the division’s 26 pounds of gold.
Watching his peers deliver career-defining triumphs struck a genuine chord in Yamin — proof that breakthroughs are born from relentless work.
The Thai southpaw said:
“When Suakim fought Nabil, everyone, including myself, thought it was a tough matchup for him, but I cheered him on with everything I had. Seeing him pull off the win really fired me up.
“As for Yod-IQ, I’ve watched him since his ONE debut. Back then, he was slow and raw, but through pure dedication, he leveled up so fast and became a ONE World Champion. That’s super impressive and serves as a huge inspiration.”
That admiration for his friends soon turned inward, sparking a quiet confidence of his own.
Yamin now stands ready to navigate the uncharted territory of his kickboxing transition, entirely on his own terms.
He said:
“Seeing them achieve that kind of success makes me believe I can do it too. Our fighting styles might differ, but I can excel in my own way. I’m ready to give it another real shot.”
The Sam-A Effect On Yamin’s Kickboxing Comeback
While Yamin cherishes his bond with his PK Saenchai comrades, one relationship stands above the rest. The Thai technician shares a profound connection with former two-sport, two-division ONE World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, whom he now regards not just as a mentor, but as a trusted brother and confidant.
During his time away from competition, Yamin served as chief training partner for Sam-A at Evolve MMA in Bangkok, routinely helping the living legend prepare for world-class battles. In return, the Bangkok native soaked up invaluable lessons, sharpening his instincts against one of the sport’s finest minds.
He said:
“Throughout that time, fighting was always on my mind. Whenever Sam-A was prepping for a fight, I’d spar with him, which made me crave getting back into the ring even more.
“I had a full two-month camp. Since I coach and spar with Sam-A regularly, I’ve been staying active anyway. Even though I was away for almost a year, I feel my physical condition is actually better than before because I trained at full intensity.”
Yamin steps into his kickboxing debut against Alexey Balyko fully confident, with one of the sport’s best in his corner. Sam-A embodies greatness that transcends rule sets, having won World Titles across multiple divisions in both Muay Thai and kickboxing.
With well over 114 professional fights already on his resume, Yamin’s story feels far from finished. Guided by Sam-A, he may be entering his finest chapter yet.
Yamin said:
“Sam-A gave me great guidance, taught me kickboxing techniques, and kept encouraging me throughout camp.
“I still have plenty of fight left in me. Turning 30 used to mean the end of a fighter’s career, but modern sports science extends our longevity. Look at Sam-A and Nong-O. They’re still strong and competing at the highest level without issue. I should be around for a long time.”
