Petchdam Says Punches In Bunches Will Be Key To Win World Title

ONEchampionship.com

One of the most exciting knockout artists in ONE Championship now gets his chance to contest for World Title gold at ONE: WARRIORS OF LIGHT in Bangkok, Thailand.

Petchdam “Baby Shark” Petchyindee Academy has set ONE Super Series alight since his debut last year with three scintillating knockouts. His reward is a shot at the inaugural ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Title in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, 10 May.

The 20-year-old will compete in his own backyard at the Impact Arena against three-time Muay Thai World Champion Elias “The Sniper” Mahmoudi, and he is thrilled with the opportunity to entertain his biggest fans.

“I am really happy to get to challenge for a World Title, and even more excited that the fight will take place in my native Thailand,” he says.

“I’m really proud of myself for getting to this point in my career.”

The charismatic Thai has emerged as an instant fan favorite with his infectious energy outside the ring and his outstanding performances.

He was a WBC Muay Thai World Champion before he entered The Home Of Martial Arts and has improved his record to 93-14-7 with his trio of finishes on the global stage.

Now he has the chance to take his career to the next level, and he could not be happier to do it at a venue he is so familiar with.

“I think it’s a bonus for me getting to compete in Bangkok. I’ve got a huge fan club here cheering me on. The atmosphere is going to be amazing,” he explains.

“Plus, everything is already here and ready for me, like the food. I won’t have to travel, and the arena is actually really close to my gym, so there will be a lot of time to just rest.”

Staying in Thailand may have its advantages, but it also had its distractions last weekend as millions of people took part in the annual Songkran (Thai New Year) celebrations with its nationwide water fights.

Petchdam would usually be in the thick of the action, but he is determined to leave no stone unturned in his preparations to face Mahmoudi, so he stayed in the gym, instead.

“I didn’t go out this year. I saw all my friends going out, they were posting videos on Facebook,” he laments.

“I wanted to go out of course, but fighting is very important to me, especially this match. Being a World Champion is all about making sacrifices. I’ll go out next year!”

In his most recent performance at ONE: CALL TO GREATNESS, the Muay Thai World Champion showed his versatility when he made his debut in a new discipline.

“Baby Shark” was thrown into his first kickboxing bout against a Rise World Champion from Japan, Masahide “Crazy Rabbit” Kudo, who is well known for his durability, but it took less than two rounds for Petchdam to adapt to a new ruleset and style, and knock his rival out with a single straight left.

“I worked really hard on my punches, combinations, and speed for that fight,” he explains.

“I was really excited to be able to take what I had trained on, and successfully apply it in the ring.”

At ONE: WARRIORS OF LIGHT, the Petchyindee Academy representative will take on a fellow convert to kickboxing.

Mahmoudi is coming off a big win in his ONE Super Series Muay Thai debut in January when he captivated audiences worldwide as he dismantled Yukinori Ogasawara over three rounds.

That one-sided victory catapulted the 21-year-old to the top of the flyweight division, and into a co-main event clash with Petchdam.

The Thai superstar is aware of the Algerian’s accomplishments and ability, so has redoubled his efforts to work on a style to dominate his rival and secure the World Title.

“I’ve changed my style to kickboxing. Muay Thai won’t win me this fight. I’m focusing on high-volume combinations,” he explains.

“My opponent has strong punches and a really unorthodox style. Every punch possesses danger when we wear small gloves.

“I cannot show off, nor can I underestimate him. I’ve got to work on my distance, timing, and evasiveness to defeat him.”