Sam-A Gaiyanghadao cannot wait to begin his new reign as ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion.
In his first foray into the sport, the 36-year-old Muay Thai legend delivered a remarkable performance on Friday, 6 December. He out-struck “Golden Boy” Wang Junguang to win the inaugural World Title at ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS.
A former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, Sam-A showed that his skills in “the art of eight limbs” were equally effective in kickboxing.
Among the varied striking arsenal he put on display, the Thai showcased well-timed counter punches to pick apart his rival.
“My opponent was really good. He was a scary opponent. He was young and hungry, and he wouldn’t give up,” he said.
“Even in the last minute of the fight, he was coming at me.”
The Singapore-based Thai started off slowly, but his confidence grew in the later rounds as he began to piece together combinations that found their way through Wang’s guard.
“I went into the fight knowing my opponent was strong and liked to move forward. My plan was to move around a lot and stay on the outside,” he said.
“I didn’t want to be in close with him.”
Despite his lack of kickboxing experience, Sam-A was up to the challenge of competing under a new rule set against a younger and more seasoned kickboxer like “Golden Boy.”
The Thai legend was confident he could parlay decades of experience in his country’s national sport to success in kickboxing, and he proved that with his incredible performance at ONE: MARK OF GREATNESS.
“My Muay Thai experience helped me get through this fight. I followed my game plan and listened to my corner,” he said.
Sam-A admitted afterward that the initial transition from Muay Thai to kickboxing was a challenge, but he managed to adjust for this match.
“In Muay Thai, when you are tired, there are ways to get around it. You can play around a little and hold on a bit in the clinch. There are tricks to make the time go by, like sweeping your opponent. Once they are down, you can rest for a second,” he said.
“In kickboxing, you have to stay busy the entire fight – it’s nonstop. I was tired, but I understood it was my first fight. It was a big undertaking to change my style, but I thought it was a worthwhile performance.”
Sam-A also understands that keeping the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title belt around his waist will be a separate challenge altogether.
Earlier in July, Sam-A surrendered his ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship to Jonathan “The General” Haggerty after their five-round war, and he is determined to avoid the same fate this time as the kickboxing titleholder.
“I feel very sorry about losing my Muay Thai World Title. Now, I want to keep this belt for as long as I can,” he said.
“Even though I am older, I want to keep developing as a martial artist. Whether it is Muay Thai or kickboxing, I’ll be ready. But I would really like to first defend this title.”
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