“I need to find the opening” - Jo Nattawut says path to victory will depend on how he finds flaws in Tawanchai’s defense
'Smokin' Jo Nattawut believes his success against Tawanchai PK Saenchai will hinge upon his ability to find the openings in the ONE world champion's defense.
Emanating from the sold-out Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, ONE Championship's massive ONE 167 card will be headlined by a can't-miss rematch as Nattawut returns to challenge reigning and defending ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai.
After going three rounds with the Thai titleholder in a kickboxing clash last October, Nattawut knows exactly what he'll need to do if he hopes to leave The Land of Smiles with 26 pounds of gold wrapped around his waist. Speaking at the ONE 167 pre-fight press conference, he said:
"I need to find the opening, and what kind of openings I can find, and then I will figure out a way to beat Tawanchai this Saturday".
Coming off a noteworthy win against Dubuque, Iowa native Luke Lessei in December, Nattawut is riding high and confident that he can do what no man has done in nearly three years—beat Tawanchai.
Tawanchai looks to keep his streak alive against fired-up Jo Nattawut
Making his third defense of the featherweight Muay Thai crown, Tawanchai has looked practically invincible since January 2022.
Kickstarting his seven-fight win streak with a bit victory over Saemapetch Fairtex, he added another win over Niclas Larsen before eventually dethroning Petchmorakot to claim his first ONE world title.
Since then, he's earned wins over Jamal Yusupov, Davit Kiria, Superbon, and, of course, Nattawut.
Will Tawanchai earn another big win over his Thai countryman, or will Nattawut be able to implement what he learned from their first fight and take home the gold on martial arts' biggest global stage?
ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch ONE 167 live and for free via Amazon Prime Video in U.S. primetime on Friday, June 7.