ONE 172 was a historic night for ONE Championship and Masaaki Noiri’s stunning upset was a part of the memorable night. The Japanese star scored a third-round TKO over Tawanchai PK Saenchai to win the ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship. As a huge underdog, Masaaki Noiri entered with confidence and proved all of his naysayers wrong.
Masaaki Noiri Credits Victory to Tuning Out Doubters
“For this fight, I knew the whole world was looking at me and saying that I was going to lose and Tawanchai would win, but I kept believing in myself, and my team and I were sure that we could get the belt. So we tried hard for this, and we proved we could do it,” Masaaki Noiri said after his remarkable victory.
Tawanchai looked strong early, but Noiri’s veteran savvy helped him to remain dangerous. In the third round, timing was key to catching the Thai star and shifting the momentum of the action. Although Tawanchai stood after the first knockdown, Masaaki Noiri kept the pressure up off the restart and ended the match.
“I didn’t feel like I was actually going to finish him in the third round, but as I said in the faceoffs, I was going to finish him within the course of five rounds. And in that third round, I saw my chance, and I took my shot,” the Japanese athlete said.
Chatri Sityodtong Applauds Masaaki Noiri After ONE 172 Win
Among the many stunned spectators was ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. He even admitted that he did not think he could pull off the upset. At the post-event press conference, Sityodtong gave Masaaki Noiri his props.
“You know, Noiri was a 10-to-1 underdog. I was not believing that he could do it. So, you know, incredible, incredible performance. Tawanchai is definitely the best 70-kilo (155-pound) fighter in the world right now, and you know, no one gave Noiri a chance,” Sityodtong stated.
The victory positioned Masaaki Noiri for a future date with Superbon. The match will unify the featherweight titles and determine the top dog in one of the best divisions in all of martial arts. The Japanese talent does not plan to change course, and he will take his shot to grab another knockout on the global stage if he can.
“For Superbon, I cannot say anything at this moment, but if I have the opportunity, I will go for the KO, and in any future fight, I’m gonna go for another knockout,” Noiri remarked.
