"I fought kickboxing for so long" - Superbon admits feeling 'limited' against Tawanchai in his return to Muay Thai
Former ONE featherweight kickboxing world champion Superbon Singha Mawynn will face familiar foe Marat Grigorian for the division's interim strap at ONE Friday Fights 58 on April 5th. The rematch will be the former world champ's return to kickboxing after dipping his toes into another sport to challenge Tawanchai PK Saenchai for his ONE featherweight Muay Thai throne late last year.
While the bout was a highly competitive and razor-close contest between two of the very best today, Superbon ultimately lost via a unanimous decision. Some pointed out that the difference between Muay Thai rules and that of kickboxing ultimately gave Tawanchai a slight edge in the bout.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post, the Thai former world champion said:
“Then in Muay Thai, I have limits. Something that I can say before in Muay Thai I can box well. I can protect the kicks well. But because I fought kickboxing for so long, and kickboxers don’t really have good kicks.”
Watch the full interview here:
Superbon reveals he's more used to kickboxing rules than Muay Thai
Explaining further the difference between kickboxing and Muay Thai to him, Superbon cited the number of weapons allowed as the defining factor:
“But in kickboxing, I feel more comfortable because the weapons are not that much. Only punch, low kick, body kick, or maybe a body shot with punches or something like that. It's a little bit easier for me.”
In kickboxing, many techniques commonly used in Muay Thai are banned - namely clinch strikes, elbows, and kick-catching. The latter one is quite significant for the former world champion, who has a penchant for throwing roundhouse kicks with impunity.
Watch him unleash his kickboxing barrage at ONE Friday Fights 58, which goes down at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, available free on ONE Championship's digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook, watch.onefc.com).