Petchmorakot Says Power Kicks Key To Upset Petrosyan

Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy can shock the world in his next ONE Championship bout.

The two-division Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Champion is an elite athlete, but few will expect him to defeat Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan at ONE: ENTER THE DRAGON.

However, he backs himself to take out the Italian icon.

The match is arguably the pick of the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix quarterfinals on Friday, 17 May at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and the Thai hero believes he can advance to the next round with his powerful striking.

Petchmorakot made a successful debut under kickboxing rules in March at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR when a high-energy performance took him to a clear unanimous decision victory over Japan’s Kenta Yamada.

That display proved that he is more than capable of achieving success in both ONE Super Series disciplines following a string of success in Muay Thai contests.

“It was a really fun fight. At the end of three rounds, I was pretty confident that I had won. When my hand was finally raised, I was so happy to have won my kickboxing debut,” he says.

“I was a little nervous before the match. My main concern was committing a foul, and I was a bit hesitant at times because of this.

“I still need to gain a lot more experience in kickboxing. For now, I am tailoring my training for the sport. I’m doing way more boxing pad work and boxing sparring than I used to.”

With more than a decade of experience in the ring, Petchmorakot has amassed a staggering career record of 158-34-2 in the sport of Muay Thai.

Petrosyan is one of the few Western competitors who can come close to matching his counterparts in “the art of eight limbs” with his total of professional bouts reaching triple figures.

However, his win ratio dwarfs almost every athlete on both sides of the world. The two-time K-1 World Max Champion has a staggering record of 98-2-2 (1 NC) overall and is considered by many to be the pound-for-pound best kickboxer in the world.

Petchmorakot is not fazed by his rival’s numbers. Though he recognizes “The Doctor’s” excellence, he is excited for the challenge that lies ahead.

“I’m not troubled by the experience of my opponent, I think I have just as good of a chance as anyone to win,” he explains.

“I’m training my hardest, and I’m not scared. I’ll be going into this fight at 100 percent. If I lose, I’ll know that I’ve lost to the best in the world.

“Being part of this tournament is a thing of prestige. It is really exciting for me because I’ve been competing exclusively in Muay Thai [in Thailand] for so many years. It’s something fresh and new for me.

“Competing for ONE is a lot of fun, the crowd and the atmosphere are amazing, and I love how many people there are watching live.”

While the kickboxing rules favor Petrosyan, who has showcased his superb striking in two outstanding performances in The Home Of Martial Arts, Petchmorakot has plenty of weapons that can cross over from Muay Thai.

He may not have his devastating elbows or strength-sapping clinch, but he can use his signature left roundhouse kick that has been strengthened and perfected over thousands of hours at the gym.

“Petrosyan is known for his hard and fast punches, that he likes to throw in combinations. I’ll be working on my defense, and will try to time my left power kick,” he adds.

Petrosyan may be the favorite, but he is not unbeatable, and Petchmorakot’s World Championship pedigree means he should give him one of his toughest challenges.

If he can navigate the Italian’s surgical style and wave his magic wand of a left leg to conjure up a victory, the 25-year-old believes he will be well on his way to the tournament final, where he expects a dream match with a legendary compatriot could await.

“I think Yodsanklai and Petrosyan will prove to be the toughest challenges in the tournament,” he says.