“He’s still hungry” - Thai legend Sam-A names Jonathan Haggerty, Tawanchai as the best Muay Thai fighters of the current era
The current Muay Thai landscape is littered with some of the best martial artists of this generation, yet Jonathan Haggerty and Tawanchai PK Saenchai stood above the rest.
That is if one Thai legend is to be believed.
The iconic Sam-A Gaiyanghadao believes Haggerty and Tawanchai are two of the best of the current generation.
The former two-sport and two-division ONE world champion pointed at Haggerty and Tawanchai's potential longevity in the sport on top of their already enviable careers.
Sam-A told the Muay Thai Instagram channel in an interview:
"Right now, I think, I have Haggerty and Tawanchai. He's a good fighter because he's still young and he's still hungry you know. Body, everything, [both are] very hungry. He still can go more."
Sam-A is one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters of all time and is considered a pillar of his generation.
A winner of 373 professional fights, Sam-A held the ONE strawweight kickboxing and Muay Thai world titles as well as the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title.
The 40-year-old also had three Lumpinee world titles, a WBC Muay Thai world title, and was named Lumpinee Fighter of the Year in 2011.
As for Haggerty and Tawanchai, the pair are already on hallowed ground among their peers.
Haggerty actually beat Sam-A to become the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion, and he now reigns as the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion.
Tawanchai, meanwhile, is the reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion.
Jonathan Haggerty and Tawanchai set for massive world title defenses
Tawanchai and Haggerty have a chance to extend their legacies the next time they make their way inside the Circle.
The Thai superstar will defend his ONE featherweight Muay Thai world title against Jo Nattawut in the main event of ONE 167 on June 7, US primetime, at Impact Arena in Bangkok.
Haggerty, meanwhile, will put his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship on the line against Superlek Kiatmoo9, the ONE flyweight kickboxing world champion, at ONE 168: Denver on September 6 at Ball Arena in Colorado.
ONE 167 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada. Tickets for ONE 168: Denver are available at Ticketmaster.