"I might never have come back" - Panpayak reveals his biggest motivation behind ending career hiatus
It's been a while since we've last seen Panpayak Jitmuangnon do what he does best in the world's largest martial arts organization. 'The Angel Warrior' last fought in 2022, and fans and pundits alike have been waiting for him to end his self-imposed hiatus.
It turns out that Panpayak simply needed some time off for his personal affairs, as he wanted to bring a new life into the world. The arrival of his firstborn lit a fire under the 28-year-old Thai star's belly, and he's now ready to resume his exemplary career with renewed vigor.
Panpayak shared in a recent interview with ONE Championship:
“I always followed ONE during the past two years. I admit that I missed fighting a bit, but I didn’t have any motivation to come back to fight – until I had a child."
Moreover, the multi-time Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Stadium world champion revealed that having a kid gave him a sense of purpose to continue his pursuit of greatness in 'The Art of Eight Limbs', adding:
“I wanted to come back to fight again because I wanted to show my child how good a fighter I am. If I didn’t have a child, I might never [have] come back.”
Panpayak's road back begins against Silviu Vitez at ONE Friday Fights 83
With almost 300 career fights to his name, Panpayak has pretty much seen it all against some of the best in the world.
That said, the Jitmuangnon Gym representative will enter his return fight against Romania's Silviu Vitez with the utmost confidence from all the battles he endured over the years.
'The Angel Warrior' told ONE:
"His strengths are his endurance and all-around weapons. So I plan to use my superior experience to fight against him."
ONE Friday Fights 83 will air live in Asian Primetime on Oct. 18, from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The full event is available on the ONE Championship YouTube channel and ONE Super App.