“Smokin” Jo Nattawut returned to ONE Championship for his sophomore outing and stunned the crowd in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a sensational first-round knockout of Yohann Fairtex Drai at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER.
The USA-based athlete believed he would have an advantage competing with 4-ounce gloves and under his favoured ONE Super Series Muay Thai rules, and he was right.
Both fighters opened up by measuring range with kicks, but it wasn’t long before “Smokin” Jo started to inject more power into his shots.
Nattawut gauged the range with the 4-ounce gloves, and then walked his man down and attacked with punching combinations.
An overhand right first sent Drai reeling, but the Fairtex man somehow managed to stay on his feet. However, it wasn’t long before another right hand sent him to the canvas.
Nattawut smelled a finish, increased the pressure on his opponent, and a series of hooks sealed the deal with just one second left in the first round.
Drai had attempted to cover up and defend, but the small gloves offered little protection as Nattawut pummelled his way to the knockout in the Axiata Arena.
“Everybody expects me to only kick, but no bro, my hands are amazing too,” the Thai said in his post-bout interview.
Nattawut delivered with his powerful striking and the entertaining style he is known in his second ONE Super Series outing – improving his record to 67-7-2.
The victory puts him back to the forefront of the striking world, and marks him as a leading contender for a ONE World Title.
