“We’re gonna give 100% to all the fights” - Panpayak ready to showcase his best skills in ONE return
Thai striker Panpayak Jitmuangnon is set to make his long-awaited ONE Championship comeback next month, and has vowed to go all out to make a successful return to competition. 'The Angel Warrior' is featured in a flyweight Muay Thai joust against Silviu Vitez of Romania at ONE Friday Fights 83 on Oct. 18 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
This will be his first ONE fight in nearly two years. In an interview with the South China Morning Post which was uploaded on Sept. 16, the 28-year-old Jitmuangnon representative touched on the mindset he will be having come fight night, saying:
"We're gonna give you 100% on the training and on the fight, but I think I can come back to how I normally am. It doesn't matter if it's one fight, two fights, three fights, but we're gonna give 100% to all the fights we're going to take and we're going to give the best we can to take the win."
Watch the interview below:
Panpayak was last in action in December 2022 in Manila, narrowly losing to fellow Thai superstar Superlek Kiatmoo9 by split decision in their rematch.
Waiting for him at ONE Friday Fights 83 is Vitez, who is out to swing back to the winning track after hitting a rough patch of late.
Panpayak has Superlek on his mind in ONE comeback
Apart from reintroducing himself to ONE Championship fans, Panpayak Jitmuangnon is also motivated in his comeback by the success that now double ONE world champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 is having. He hopes to get back at his longtime rival after losing to him in their two previous clashes under the promotion.
The Jitmuangnon Gym standout shared this in the same interview with the South China Morning Post in line with his scheduled return to action at ONE Friday Fights 83 on Oct. 18, asserting that he has what it takes to put a stop to the impressive roll of Superlek.
He said:
"I am the only one who can stop Superlek, just give me time."
Panpayak and Superlek met in July 2020 and December 2022 in ONE, with the latter winning each time by decision. But the two have a long history dating back even before they were part of ONE Championship.