Tawanchai Aims To Showcase Trademark Head Kick In Debut Vs. Clancy
After months of anticipation, Tawanchai PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym is ready for his big premiere on the global stage.
The Thai megastar will make his promotional debut against battle-hardened Irishman Sean “Clubber” Clancy in the co-main event of ONE: DANGAL, which airs this Saturday, 15 May.
Competing in the world’s largest martial arts organization has been a major career goal for Tawanchai, who’s watched his PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym stablemates throw down in the Circle over the past three years.
Now, he is prepared to walk in their footsteps.
“Ever since I saw that my teammates Rodlek, Kongsak, and Muangthai, and many other Thai fighters, were ONE Championship athletes, I wanted to become a ONE athlete, too,” the 22-year-old says.
“Finally, my dream came true and I signed a contract with ONE [in October]. After that, I was counting the days to show myself in the ring. Then my camp manager told me that I had my debut scheduled, and I was so happy.”
Over the past few years, Tawanchai has become one of the hottest names in the Muay Thai scene.
The young knockout artist owns a staggering 124-30-2 professional record, earned a trio of 2018 Fighter of the Year awards, and trains with the best at the highly regarded PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym.
What’s more, he defeated both “The Million Dollar Baby” Sangmanee Klong SuanPluResort and #3-ranked ONE bantamweight Muay Thai contender “Left Meteorite” Kulabdam Sor. Jor. Piek Uthai in their respective trilogy series outside of ONE.
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Tawanchai hopes to replicate that success on the global stage, but he will have a tough and durable opponent to deal with in his debut.
Clancy, the first Irish-born WBC Muay Thai World Champion in history, loves to walk forward with devastating knockout power. To date, 51 percent of his victories have come via knockout, and he is eager to improve that ratio.
The Thai megastar is quite familiar with “Clubber” after watching his teammate and former ONE World Title challenger Pongsiri PK.Saenchai Muaythaigym beat the Irishman in a three-round thriller that was later featured in the Top 5 ONE Super Series Fights Of 2020.
“I saw the bout that Sean had with my teammate, Pongsiri,” Tawanchai says. “He is a good fighter, and he has good combinations, punches, and kicks, which Pongsiri also confirmed. But I think he is slower than me.”
Speed isn’t the only advantage that Tawanchai believes he will own in this bantamweight Muay Thai clash.
The Bangkok hard-hitter also thinks his patience, physical gifts, and vast assortment of techniques will be too much for “Clubber” to handle.
“I am a Muay Femur, so I am not too crazy about going forward in the fight. I have a classic style – I like to take my time and attack fast. I think it’s beautiful to watch and very classy,” Tawanchai says.
“My trainer has been training me hard for this fight, especially on my power and my speed. We plan to knock Sean out and I will show my head kick, which is my well-known weapon.”
If Tawanchai can indeed put Clancy to sleep with a head kick, he would firmly announce himself as a threat to reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.
Read more: 5 Things To Know About Sean Clancy Before He Fights Tawanchai
