"Masterclass striking" - Fans still in awe of Masaaki Noiri's dramatic stoppage win over Tawanchai in Japan
Nearly a month has gone by, yet Masaaki Noiri's stunning upset over reigning ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai continues to leave fans in disbelief.
Both men collided for the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world championship in the co-main event of ONE 172, held at the legendary Saitama Super Arena in Japan this past March.
Check out the highlights of that matchup below:
Noiri came out aggressively in the opening round to press the action. However, Tawanchai tried to hold his ground by responding with sharp, powerful combinations.
In the second stanza, Tawanchai amped up the intensity, only for Noiri to begin landing his signature overhand right with increasing accuracy.
The tide shifted dramatically in round three as Nori timed a thunderous left hook to perfection, dropping Tawanchai as he moved forward.
Although Tawanchai managed to return to his feet, Noiri pounced with a relentless barrage that left the referee with no choice but to wave the bout off.
Fans on Instagram praised Noiri's unyielding mindset, applauding his willingness to seize the moment at all costs:
Masaaki Noiri punches ticket to face Superbon for undisputed supremacy
With the ONE interim featherweight kickboxing world title in his possession, all signs point Masaaki Noiri to a unification showdown against reigning king Superbon later this year.
Following his third-round demolition of Tawanchai PK Saenchai at ONE 172, the Japanese slugger made no secret that he has his target locked in on Superbon for a long time.
He said this in his post-fight interview with My Navi News:
"How much I have prepared? I'm sure there are still many fighters out there in the world who is better than me. But there is only one fighter who is ranked above me at the moment. So for now, that's my only goal [facing Superbon]."