Seksan Or Kwanmuang will try to keep his perfect ONE Championship record intact on Friday, Apr. 5, at ONE Friday Fights 58.
The electric Thai striker has wowed audiences since arriving on the global stage last year, and he hopes to welcome Yutaro Asahi to the promotion with a bang next weekend.
Unsurprisingly, after a stellar 2023 campaign that saw him claim six wins, Seksan can reflect on the impact his success has had on his life outside of the ring.
“Last year was the best year since I started this career. It was the most successful year for me. My life has changed a lot. The quality of life with my family has greatly improved,” he recounted to ONE.
“The trick is taking care of yourself, training hard, and having a supportive family, which includes my sons, wife, and parents.”
While an unblemished record may put pressure on some athletes, Seksan is not feeling the weight of his past performances as he prepares for his upcoming match.
“The Man Who Yields To No One” is able to take things as they come because he was thinking about retiring before putting his name on a ONE contract. Now, he just wants to give the fans the best possible action he can.
“For now, I don’t think I have any room to improve. Because having a chance to fight in ONE is considered my greatest achievement. Going from the guy who was thinking about retirement to the star, my life was turned upside down. I just feel satisfied with the way it is,” Seksan admitted.
“I will only feel pressure when I find that my performances are not entertaining enough. My goal is to do my best in the ring and provide the most entertainment for Thai fans and fans around the world.”
Although he isn’t pressuring himself to win, that doesn’t mean he’s discounting his opponent. Ahead of his first bout in 2024, the 35-year-old striker has been examining Asahi’s best attributes.
“I watched his fight videos, and I think he has great combinations and slick movement. I can’t underestimate him because I know every fighter that ONE sends to me are all elite level. This fight will be another tough job for me,” Seksan said.
“He has powerful combinations, especially his body shots. And another thing I noticed are his knees. I think he plans to wage war on me. He wants to go toe-to-toe with me. He won’t give in easily.”
Though he’s far from cocky, there is one area that Seksan believes he will hold a significant advantage over his Japanese foe.
Their bout will be fought under Muay Thai rules, which is where he thrives and where he believes Asahi needs experience.
“He still lacks some Muay Thai skills. He’s not good in close combat. I believe I will have a huge advantage in this area because I can use every Muay Thai weapon – I can use elbows and thrust knees on him,” Seksan said.
“If I can knock him out, I will do it immediately. You can’t underestimate Japanese boxers. They’re heavy hitters with dangerous combinations. I know that I’m slower than him. But I will try to use my elbows a lot. I’ll try to knock him out quickly.”
ONE Friday Fights 58 airs live on watch.onefc.com for $24.99 on Friday, Apr. 5, at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.