Prajanchai PK Saenchai edged out Sam-A Gaiyanghadao in a thrilling World Title battle back in July 2021, and the superstar strikers are set to run it back at ONE Friday Fights 22 this week.
Their first meeting was an incredible display of elite-level Muay Thai, but with only a majority decision separating them, Prajanchai is hoping to deliver a more emphatic victory in their rematch for the ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Title on June 23.
However, the legendary Sam-A has since collected a trio of wins to prove he’s still elite, and it will take a mammoth effort from the PK Saenchai representative to make lightning strike twice when they run it back at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.
Here are three important weapons that Prajanchai can employ to get the job done once more against his iconic rival in Bangkok, Thailand.
#1 Slick Boxing
After struggling to get matched on the domestic Muay Thai circuit, Prajanchai had a brief foray into the world of professional boxing – and it leveled up his hands considerably.
You could see those skills in his first bout against Sam-A. The Bangkok native’s jab was a key tool that helped set up powerful follow-up shots.
On top of his assertive jab, the 28-year-old has strong hooks and uppercuts from his lead side, all of which set up his crunching right hand.
Sam-A likes to operate at a longer punching range, so Prajanchai could unsettle him with his fast combinations on the inside, stringing together straights, hooks, and uppercuts to make the most of his time in close.
The smaller 4-ounce gloves are a bonus to his rapid and accurate punches, offering less room for error in defense and more gaps to exploit for the boxing specialist.
#2 Countering Sam-A’s Left Kick
As a southpaw, Sam-A’s most devastating strikes come from his left side – his left kick in particular.
Prajanchai ate a lot of left kicks in their first match, which slowed down his output in the later rounds after catching so many powerful strikes on his body and arms.
While blocking is better than nothing, the PK Saenchai man will have to make the former two-weight and two-division king think twice about launching his attacks.
Prajanchai’s biggest moment of the first contest came when he caught the 39-year-old’s left kick and then quickly launched an overhand right that put his foe on the canvas, so catching and countering is a strong option.
He can also look to use his fast push kick or straight right to intercept the incoming shin, off-balancing and potentially damaging Sam-A in the process.
#3 His Right Kick
Although he didn’t use it as often in their first battle, Prajanchai’s right kick is a very effective tool in his arsenal.
He’s happy to blast it into the inside of the thigh, the body, or the head of his opponent, and he’ll often double it up to different target areas to keep them guessing.
Again, southpaw Sam-A fires with power from his left side, so Prajanchai’s right kick can be a great way of helping to both deter the straight left and take away its sting.
Strong inside low kicks can upset the forward momentum, while hard right kicks to the body will force Sam-A to either block or take them clean on the midsection.
Either way, those strikes could accumulate in the later rounds and prompt the Evolve representative to throw fewer left hands.
A neat trick Prajanchai likes to implement is the kick-punch combination off the same side, so if Sam-A does attempt to catch and counter, he can expect a right hand to drop behind, too.
All of this could help the younger athlete stay away from the most damaging shots that his esteemed foe has to offer – potentially leading to 26 pounds of gold.
