3 Keys To Victory For Giorgio Petrosyan At ONE: MASTERS OF DESTINY

Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan is arguably the best kickboxer in the world, but it will not be easy for him to defeat Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy.

When these rivals first met in the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix rematch in May, the Italian martial artist was frustrated for much of the three rounds they shared as he fell to a split decision.

Of course, the result was overturned because of some illegal techniques from the Thai star, but he still had done what no one expected he could – go toe-to-toe with a two-time K-1 World MAX Champion in just his second kickboxing bout, and cause him more problems than anyone in the past five years.

This Friday, 12 July at ONE: MASTERS OF DESTINY, they will go at it again, and Petrosyan is convinced he has the perfect plan to tell an entirely different story and get a clear-cut win.

Here are the things he needs to do to win at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and advance to the semifinals of the biggest tournament in kickboxing history.

#1 His Bread-And-Butter Boxing

In the first round at ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON in Singapore, Petrosyan punished his rival with his usual blend of accurate straight lefts and right hooks.

This will be key when they take to the ring again, as the Armenian-Italian showed his ability to control from the outside and land hard punches.

The Thai’s biggest weapon on the outside is his left kick, but again “The Doctor” nullified and countered that strike when he caught it and returned fire with left straights to the body, and right hooks to the head.

If he can avoid getting tangled up by the rangy Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion, then fans could expect a repeat of Petrosyan’s domination of Petchmorakot’s stablemate, Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy, when “The Doctor’s” lightning counter punches earned him a wide unanimous decision. 

#2 A Route Through The Middle

Petchmorakot’s clinch was the main disruption to “The Doctor’s” round one success, sometimes unfairly. This time around, Petrosyan can expect to be tied up less when he is on the attack now that the Muay Thai stylist will be clear about the rules.

However, the offensive clinch is legal and effective, so the two-time K-1 World MAX Champion still needs to be careful about his range.

One way for him to maintain an effective distance is to employ his teeps when the Petchyindee Academy representative steps forward to attack. That should stop him in his tracks.

#3 Cut An Angle

Petrosyan can avoid the clinch by being far enough out of the range with linear movement, but he cannot just move backward and get trapped against the ropes.

This is where the Italian master’s footwork will come in to play. “The Doctor” can circle around his rival, but if he pivots at the end of his boxing combinations instead of backing straight out, he could open up a fantastic opportunity to attack.

Traditionally, that is an approach that is far more common in kickboxing matches compared to Petchmorakot’s favored Muay Thai bouts, so he may not be ready to deal with offense that comes from different angles.