Thai legend Seksan Or Kwanmuang is set for another action-packed showdown when he faces American striker Asa Ten Pow in a 142-pound Muay Thai bout at ONE Fight Night 30 on Saturday, April 5, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Known for his relentless pressure and unwavering aggression, Seksan aims to secure his fourth consecutive victory in ONE Championship against the heavy-handed Ten Pow. Both fighters are coming off recent performances at ONE 168 in the United States.
“In his last fight, Asa went to fight in the same card with me in ONE 168 in the United States. Before that, I saw his fight against Thai fighter Rambolek. He is considered a fighter with quite heavy weapons. I have to defend myself well and fight very carefully,” Seksan said.
The Thai warrior acknowledges that Ten Pow’s striking prowess presents a significant threat, particularly given the small gloves used in ONE’s Muay Thai contests.
“Asa is a fighter with a variety of weapons, especially his punches, which are scary,” Seksan said. “This time, I have to be very careful with his punches because fighting with small 4-ounce gloves, whoever accidentally gets hit first has a chance of falling.”
Despite the danger, Seksan has no plans to alter his trademark aggressive style that has made him a fan favorite. The 36-year-old will once again rely on his conditioning and pressure-fighting approach.
“I still believe that I’m a fighter who has endurance and is always ready to charge at my opponent. It’s my selling point,” he said. “No matter what, I have to be ready to fight and exchange heavy blows with Asa as much as I can.”
After a brief period of recovery from a minor hand injury following his victory over Soe Lin Oo, Seksan has been training at his own gym, Sor Seksan, alongside his brother Khunphonnoi Sor Sommai and other training partners.
“Training at Sor Seksan gym is different from training at home alone because our training are more intense. I have a lot of sparring partners and I can train with them all the time,” Seksan said.
While both fighters typically compete in different weight classes, they’ve agreed to meet at 142 pounds. Seksan typically fights at 140 pounds, while Ten Pow competes at 145 pounds.
“Actually, Asa already fights in the 145 pounds weight class, so I had to move up to fight him while he moves down to meet me. So we met in the middle at 142 pounds,” Seksan said. “It is considered that neither of us has an advantage or disadvantage.”
With the bout happening in his home country, Seksan believes the passionate Thai crowd will provide him with an additional edge.
“The biggest advantage for me is that this fight takes place in Thailand. There are a lot of fans in the stadium cheering me on, shouting my name ‘Seksan, Seksan, Seksan,'” he said. “Whenever I hear that, I feel even more motivated to fight.”