‘You Won’t See Me Backing Down’ – Klarob, Sornsueknoi Promise Explosive Firefight At ONE Friday Fights 171
Two Thai pressure fighters with no interest in giving ground will collide in the biggest opportunity of their respective ONE Championship careers.
Klarob NuiCafeboran and Sornsueknoi FA Group square off in a flyweight Muay Thai main event at ONE Friday Fights 171 on Friday, September 18, live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
The 26-year-old Klarob enters his first ONE headliner riding a two-fight winning streak after stopping Babak “Thunder” Haghi and outpointing Omar El Halabi. Those victories lifted the PK Saenchai Muaythaigym representative to three wins in four promotional appearances.
Across the ring, 31-year-old Sornsueknoi brings six ONE victories, including four stoppages, and considerably more experience on the weekly series. But after a narrow split-decision setback against Rambong Sor Therapat, the FA Group veteran is determined to make sure his first main event opportunity ends differently.
Their approaches suggest there will be little room for caution. Klarob brings youth and freshness, while Sornsueknoi leans on experience and sharper boxing. A statement win could move either man another step closer to a coveted US$100,000 main-roster contract.
Klarob Plans To Turn Up The Heat
Klarob has steadily grown more comfortable since first putting on the small gloves, and his recent results have brought him to a new milestone.
Headlining ONE Friday Fights for the first time carries some added pressure, but the Kalasin native also sees the assignment as proof of how far he has progressed since joining the promotion.
He said:
“Headlining for the first time brings some pressure, but at the same time, I’m deeply moved to see how far my hard work has brought me.
“I’m ready to give it my all and showcase everything I’ve trained for to honor the faith the promotion has shown in me.”
A month-long training camp has focused on making Klarob more dangerous from different ranges. His team has sharpened his elbows and worked on making his kicks more decisive against an opponent who shares his preference for forward pressure.
Klarob has also studied the dangers coming back at him. He identified Sornsueknoi’s punishing low kicks and body punches as weapons that demand respect but believes the veteran can be shaken when his own offense lands cleanly.
He said:
“Sornsueknoi’s biggest strengths are his heavy low kicks and body shots, which I have to watch out for. But even though he packs power, he tends to wobble and show visible reactions when he gets hit cleanly.”
The matchup has naturally been framed as Klarob’s freshness against Sornsueknoi’s greater ring mileage. Klarob embraces the physical side of that equation, while insisting he can match his opponent when the exchanges become heavy.
He does not plan to charge forward blindly from the opening bell. The PK Saenchai athlete wants to spend the first round reading Sornsueknoi before raising the intensity and testing whose power holds up better once the fight opens up.
He said:
“We both pack serious power. In round one, I’ll assess how he comes out, but by round two, I plan to march forward and trade because I’m confident in my form.
“If the opportunity presents itself, I want to finish the fight as quickly as possible to chase that second bonus. I want to use it to welcome my second child and save up to build a home of our own so my family can live comfortably.”
Sornsueknoi Vows Not To Retreat Again
Sornsueknoi enters Friday’s headliner carrying a lesson from his most recent appearance.
Against Rambong, he believed his work through the opening two rounds had put him in position to win. But after choosing to back off and manage the final frame, he watched the judges award his opponent the split decision.
He said:
“When the judges declared Rambong the winner, I was shocked, but I accepted the decision. It was my own mistake for deciding to back off in that last round.
“If I had kept the pressure on like I did in the first two, I believe I would’ve gotten the win. It was a huge lesson that in this promotion, you have to show that hunger to win throughout the entire fight to earn the judges’ favor.”
That experience has only reinforced the style Sornsueknoi has trusted throughout his career. Rather than reinvent himself, he intends to keep pressing forward while adding specific tools designed for the opponent in front of him.
His preparation for Klarob has included extra elbow work to counter the younger man’s punches, along with serious boxing training.
He said:
“I’ve prepared really well for this one. Besides working on elbows to counter Klarob’s punches, our camp brought in an international boxing coach to run specialized drills for our fighters.
“It’s the first time I’ve taken boxing training seriously, and I’m confident it’ll make my punches sharper and faster than ever.”
Sornsueknoi has also spent time studying Klarob’s tendencies. He respects the 26-year-old’s heavy and accurate hands, but he believes the wider arc of some of his hooks could give him time to see the attacks coming and respond.
More importantly, he expects Klarob to meet him head-on. After regretting his decision to retreat against Rambong, Sornsueknoi is determined to make Friday’s contest a test of who can force the other man backward first.
He said:
“The fight is going to be action-packed because Klarob loves to march forward and trade, just like me. It’ll come down to who can land first and force the other to back up when we meet in the center of the ring.
“I’m confident in my toughness. If we stand toe-to-toe, I can take his power. I’ll use my elbows, boxing, and superior experience to apply pressure until he’s the one backing up. One thing I can guarantee is that you won’t see me backing down in this fight.”
