Saemapetch Fairtex is out for redemption at ONE Fight Night 19. The ONE Championship star gets his rematch against Mohamed Younes Rabah after the Algerian scored a KO last December. Saemapetch is putting everything he has into training for the match on Friday, February 16.
“I asked ONE Championship for a rematch with Mohamed. And when they gave me the green light, I started training. I’ve been training for more than two months. I’m really excited because I want revenge for what he did to me in the last fight. That fight ended too soon,” Saemapetch told ONE.
The first meeting between the two left a bad taste in the Thai athlete’s mouth. Although they agreed to a catchweight, Rabah still came in overweight, and the bout was contested at 151.75 pounds. Saemapetch still accepted but felt he was at a significant disadvantage.
While the match will be in the bantamweight division for this meeting, it is not the only thing that bothered the Fairtex star about the first meeting. Saemapetch feels a knee while he was on the ground casts a large shadow over the knockout result. He respects the result but wants to even the score in Bangkok.
“I was disappointed and upset that I was knocked down and got kneed in the face while I was down. And they still declared him the winner of the match. That’s why I want to rematch. At that time, I had to respect the referee’s decision. If he was sure I lost the match, I had to accept my defeat. Now, I want to end the controversy. Win or lose I will clear up this ambiguity for the fans,” Saemapetch admitted.
As the chase for Jonathan Haggerty’s gold heats up, with the Brit defending the title in the main event, Saemapetch’s co-main event has even higher stakes. The 29-year-old is firmly focused on righting what he believes are wrongs, but a big win will elevate him back into the title hunt. The rematch is making him focus on the task at hand so that he can achieve the greatest heights.
“This rematch is very important to me. I want to prove to the fans that I’m still the same Saemapetch. Because I already know Rabah from the previous fight, I know how I will handle him. I’ve prepared many tricks to surprise him in the ring. I will use a wider variety of weapons. I will be more efficient. I will definitely not be rash or careless this time.”
Even though there is no bad blood between the two athletes on a personal level, Saemapetch is still out for revenge. The December result has been eating away at him. The Thai striker sent a clear message to Rabah ahead of ONE Fight Night 19.
“Mohamed, I’m gonna pay you back on February 16. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
ONE Fight Night 19 airs live in U.S. primetime on Prime Video. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.
