Thongpoon PK Saenchai blitzed his way to a six-figure contract with three sensational performances under the ONE Friday Fights banner, and now, he’s ready to further elevate his name in front of a U.S. primetime audience this Friday, December 8.
After posting a 3-0 slate at ONE’s weekly Asia primetime event series, the Thai slugger will make his next appearance against Ellis “El Jefe” Badr Barboza in a 120-pound catchweight Muay Thai battle at ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts on Prime Video.
Thongpoon scored two knockouts in a combined 44 seconds to get his ONE tenure underway before bolstering his status with an electrifying decision win over Yangdam Jitmuangnon in a Fight of the Year candidate.
Along with his perfect record, the 26-year-old promises to maintain his reputation as one of the promotion’s most exciting athletes when he meets British rising star Barboza at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Thongpoon said:
“What I want to show is my toughness. I will prove that I am not just good at punching. This fight is going to be a barnburner.
“Like Rodtang said, anyone can be number one, but creating a legend is more difficult. And I will write my name in the history books.”
It only takes a quick glance at Thongpoon’s previous battles to know what he is about.
He brings the war to every opponent in front of him, although Barboza recently suggested the PK Saenchai representative would eventually back down over the course of three hard rounds.
Given his desire to entertain and build his profile in the world’s largest martial arts organization, Thongpoon quickly disputed that bold claim:
“I have been in this career for 16 years. I’ve used up all my fear. And now I have no fear left. I’m sure we’ll trade a lot in this fight, and it will not go to distance.”
Thongpoon Not Worried About Matchup With Ellis Badr Barboza
Now that he’s signed to a deal on ONE Championship’s main roster, Thongpoon PK Saenchai knows there will be no easy outings.
He expects a fierce battle with Ellis Badr Barboza, and he’s embracing the challenge. At the same time, he doesn’t think “El Jefe” will be any more dangerous than the strikers he defeated in ONE Friday Fights.
Thongpoon said:
“Ellis Barboza is a strong fighter. He is skilled and quick. He can guard both his left and right sides. He is a nasty opponent to fight with. I think this fight deserves to be on the world stage. There are only killers here. I will definitely not be careless. I will do my best to entertain the audience.
“But I don’t think he’s any different from any other fighter who I faced at ONE Friday Fights. Every opponent in this organization is on an elite level. Therefore, I view every fight I have as a fight with myself.”
Working hard at the famous PK Saenchai gym in Bangkok, Thongpoon is preparing to enter the ring as the most skilled version of himself.
But above all, he believes his heart and courage will be the difference between him and Barboza when they clash this week:
“I think my advantage over him is my guts. I believe I have more guts than everyone. I am confident in my toughness. You could knock me down, but you will never knock me out. But I don’t know if he can deal with my attacks.”
