Thai superstar “The Angel Warrior” Panpayak Jitmuangnon will be fighting with fresh motivation in his long-awaited return to action on October 18 in Asia primetime at ONE Friday Fights 83.
That night, the seven-time Muay Thai World Champion will square off with Romanian brawler Silviu “Hitman” Vitez in a flyweight Muay Thai contest at the famed Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Hailed as one of the top strikers of his generation, Panpayak boasts a 4-2 record in ONE, with his only losses coming against current two-sport, two-division World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9.
Notably, the 28-year-old hasn’t competed since a narrow split-decision loss to “The Kicking Machine” in December 2022, the eighth overall meeting between the longtime rivals.
He told onefc.com that he stepped away from the sport not due to injury or illness but because the pressure of competing at the highest levels – and the toll it took on his body – had become too much:
“The main reason I decided to stop fighting was because I felt burned out and had no motivation anymore. I felt that I had been using my body for a long time, so I wanted to take a break and do something else.”
In his time away from Muay Thai, “The Angel Warrior” invested in a new business and worked sporadically.
About nine months ago, though, his whole world changed with the birth of his daughter, Honey. Now a father, Panpayak has found the inspiration to once again chase 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold:
“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.
“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 come back.”
Fortunately for fans, Panpayak is back in full force.
He returned to training full-time at Phuket Fight Club, and while he admits that his first sessions were quite difficult, he’s now feeling like the elite fighter who dominated “the art of eight limbs” for many years.
When he steps into the Lumpinee Stadium ring on October 18, he’ll aim for a performance that will make his daughter proud:
“My goal for this fight is to make an epic comeback by winning by knockout. I want to show my daughter and everyone that Panpayak is still a great fighter.”
Panpayak Promises To Unveil A More Aggressive Style
Panpayak Jitmuangnon will face a stiff test in his return to competition.
A top European talent renowned for his ultra-aggressive style, Silviu Vitez fights like many Thai athletes, happy to trade strike-for-strike at close range.
With that in mind, “The Angle Warrior” says his own veteran savvy will play a pivotal role in their contest:
“Silviu’s fighting style is different from other foreign boxers who move in and out quickly. He almost stands still and trades one by one, like Thai fighters.
“His strengths are his endurance and his all-around weapons, so I plan to use my superior experience to fight against him.”
Panpayak wants more than just a victory in his big return – he wants to score an emphatic knockout.
He knows many fans have been critical of his evasive and highly technical style of striking. He’s taken that criticism to heart, and he plans to showcase a more crowd-pleasing version of himself this Friday:
“For this fight, I have worked hard on my punches. As for kicks, don’t worry, you guys will definitely see it in the ring. I will try to press forward as much as possible because I believe that many fans still think of me as a fighter who likes to back away.
“For this fight, I will show my fans that I am a new Panpayak who has changed his style to be more aggressive with no more retreating.”
