Thai dynamo Nontachai Jitmuangnon is back on the march, and he has no intention of slowing down.
The 26-year-old seeks to extend his winning ways when he faces Turkish newcomer Semih Sah Cindir in a featherweight Muay Thai clash at ONE Friday Fights 145, airing live in Asia primetime from Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on March 6.
Nontachai returns focused and sharpened in search of his 52nd career victory.
Standing across from him is a fighter who has never competed on a global platform before, but one he isn’t taking lightly.
The Road to ONE: Thailand tournament winner has pored over footage of Cindir and emerged with a detailed read on what the Turkish promotional debutant brings to the table:
“Semih Sah is a really aggressive fighter. From the footage I’ve seen, he never backs down. He has a very boxing-heavy style and uses a lot of footwork since he has a background in boxing.”
That boxing foundation, however, carries a critical blind spot on the ONE Championship stage.
Four-ounce gloves change everything – and Nontachai, who’s competed in smaller mitts on five occasions inside Lumpinee, plans to make that adjustment period as costly as possible for his opposite number.
The Jitmuangnon Gym representative told onefc.com:
“However, this is his first time using the small 4-ounce gloves. While that makes his punches even more dangerous, I think he’ll struggle defensively. You just can’t hide behind those tiny gloves the way you can with big ones.
“I plan to stay tight defensively and use my superior ring craft. If I can close the distance and smother his punches, his danger level drops significantly.”
With his game plan set and his confidence high, Nontachai isn’t arriving inside the mecca of Muay Thai to settle for a victory on the scorecards.
The Thai slugger is aiming for another highlight-reel moment, and he wants it early.
He continued:
“I expect things to heat up right from the first round. I’m going to be the one moving forward, and I’ll be looking for the finish from the start.
“I want to earn my spot back on the main roster. I know he’ll be looking to make a name for himself by knocking out a [contracted] ONE athlete like me, so it’s going to be a war.”
A New Nontachai, And A Score To Settle
The ambitions stretch well beyond Friday night.
Nontachai Jitmuangnon has heard the criticism – that his style demands more. The 26-year-old isn’t arguing the point, though.
Instead, he’s been answering it in the gym. “The art of eight limbs” specialist has put extra attention to detail to reshape his arsenal into something more dangerous for ONE Friday Fights 145:
“I’m well aware that some fans haven’t been thrilled with my style lately, feeling I lack that aggressive finishing touch. But this time, you’re going to see a new version of Nontachai. I’m not just a kicker anymore; I’ve added a lot more boxing and knees to my arsenal.”
Should he emerge victorious, Nontachai already has an opponent in mind for his second fight of the year. That name is Abdulla “Smash Boy” Dayakaev.
Last July at ONE Fight Night 33, the Dagestani recorded the fastest knockout in ONE Muay Thai history when he put the Jitmuangnon Gym fighter to sleep in just 24 seconds.
Nontachai’s bounce-back win over Soner “Golden Boy” Sen in the main event of ONE Friday Fights 130 three months later may have steadied the ship. But the memory of that defeat to the Russian hasn’t left him:
“My goal for this year is to keep this winning streak alive and break into the rankings. And of course, I haven’t forgotten about Abdulla. Once I get past this fight, I want the chance to run it back and get my revenge.”