Featherweight hopeful Davit Kiria has a prime opportunity in front of him on Friday, August 4. When ONE Championship returns to Prime Video, the Georgian will meet Tawanchai PK Saenchai in a pivotal kickboxing showdown.
Spurred by the desire to compete, Kiria quickly realized he was getting the biggest shot of his career against the Muay Thai king.
“I said, ‘Okay, I just want to fight.’ And when I got the offer to fight Tawanchai with kickboxing rules I thought, ‘Okay, it’s everything or nothing,’” Kiria told ONE.
Kiria will also have to contend with a fervent crowd inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. Tawanchai is a local hero and with each strike they will ooh and aww.
But competing inside the historic venue is only adding to the special feeling of this extraordinary contest for the 34-year-old.
“For every fighter, it’s a dream to fight on that level at Lumpinee Stadium. So, of course I’m very happy for this opportunity and the first time to fight at Lumpinee. It’s an honor for me to share this feeling as part of ONE Championship, a very special moment,” Kiria expressed.
“Yes, he is the local fighter, but it doesn’t change much. Because I used to fight a lot abroad, and I always fought the local fighters.”
Kiria is tight-lipped about his game plan entering the crucial featherweight bout. After spending hours breaking down footage of the talented 24-year-old, Kiria still shared one of the biggest strengths of his opponent that he will have to deal with when the bell rings.
“The game plan? We’ll see in the fight. I can’t talk about everything, but we all know he is a good kicker. We got to close the distance, block, answer the kicks,” the featherweight contender said.
With the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship being contested in the evening’s main event, Kiria sees an opportunity to put his name into the limelight with a knockout victory over Tawanchai.
However, he is more focused on stymying the Thai striker’s aggressive strikes before he responds with his own arsenal. It is with that he hopes to have a breakout performance in Bangkok.
“The way he fights, I have to fight my own fight. And I have to use my skills and boxing to stop his kicks. Of course, I’ll go for the KO, yes. But there is also more of a plan to stop his fighting styling, so I am learning his style. I’m trying to do something opposite from him. Close the distance, stay aggressive, keep the pressure,” Kiria said.
ONE Fight Night 13 on Prime Video airs live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The action is free for all Amazon Prime members based in the U.S. and Canada.