Tawanchai gunning for unquestionable win against Jo Nattawut at ONE 167

Tawanchai PK Saenchai is gearing up for his defense of the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Title against “Smokin’” Jo Nattawut.

Both men run it back in the main event of ONE 167 on Prime Video. This U.S. primetime event emanates live from the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 7.

This rematch is laden with significance, especially after their intense showdown in October 2023. There, Tawanchai narrowly clinched victory in a three-round kickboxing encounter with Nattawut, who stepped in for the injured Superbon.

The bout pushed both fighters to their limits, with Nattawut’s performance raising eyebrows and challenging preconceived notions.

For Tawanchai, this upcoming clash is all about setting the record straight.

“I was happy when I knew that I would be defending my Muay Thai belt against Jo because it will seal the lips of critics from our first fight. I received quite a bit of criticism from that fight,” he said.

“In the last fight, I didn’t have time to prepare and couldn’t make any game plan for him. But for this fight, I prepared 100 percent. I think I can perform better.”

Despite his victory in their previous meeting, he aims to assert his dominance over five rounds of Muay Thai action.

“From that fight, you can see that Jo is really good at kickboxing. He made the fight quite close. I was a bit surprised that he could fight with me so closely like that,” the PK Saenchai representative said.

“I learned that you can’t underestimate him at all. I admit that I was really careless. That fight gave me many ideas to apply. In this fight, I will definitely not be as careless as before.”

Tawanchai holds back on predicting outcome

Throughout his tenure in ONE Championship, Tawanchai PK Saenchai has showcased his prowess by scoring five impressive stoppages in his eight victories.

His hunger for another emphatic finish is given. Yet, he approaches the rematch against Jo Nattawut with pragmatism.

While the allure of a knockout victory is enticing, Tawanchai remains grounded in his approach.

“Every time I step up on the stage, I want a bonus. Everyone wants to knock their opponent out. But let’s see what will happen in the ring. It won’t be easy to win by knockout in this fight,” he said.

“I guess that this fight might go the distance. If I say someone is going to get knocked out, it would seem like I’m exaggerating a lot. Let’s wait to see an exciting battle.”