- George Chung
- Nov 5, 2024
- 2 min read
Sam-A Gaiyanghadao returns to action on Friday, November 8, at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug. The Thailand superstar meets Zhang Peimian in an important strawweight kickboxing collision.
The matchup is not a passing of the torch. Sam-A has every intention of winning and continuing to pursue gold at the highest level.
The former multiple-time ONE Championship World Champion is not ready to go softly into the night.
“I will keep fighting until my body can’t take it anymore,” Sam-A bluntly said to ONE.
Beyond the chase for gold, Sam-A is motivated by his family. He knows he has a tremendous support system at home as he chases his dreams, and the strawweight hopeful hopes to continue to utilize his skills to provide as a father.
“I have two motivation sources. The first is from my family, from my children. I think I still have the strength to fight to earn some money for my children’s education,” the Thai legend stated.
“The second source is from my wife because she always motivates and pushes me. She says she will always be by my side.”
Although Sam-A’s stature as an all-time great means he is close to a title shot, he does not believe he is just one fight away.
Regardless, he knows he will have to oust “The Fighting Rooster” in a three-round war in Bangkok to get where he wants to go.
“I want to get back to being a ONE World Champion before I retire. However, I think winning this fight is too early for me to have a shot at gold,” Sam-A remarked.
“Everyone is doubting how long an old dog like me can stay in this game, but winning this kickboxing match will boost my confidence and prove that I can still fight.”
Sam-A is under no illusion that he is a spring chicken. The Thai star knows he will have to use his veteran savvy to conquer the younger athlete.
“This fight should be a challenge because he’s younger than me and he’s a tough fighter. This fight is a test of my body,” the strawweight contender said.
With the understanding that he must exploit his opponent’s weaknesses, Sam-A has been working hard to identify Zhang’s flaws.
The Thai athlete believes he has the right game plan to secure a major victory inside Lumpinee Stadium.
“I discovered many weaknesses in him, such as when he punches, he leaves windows open. My main advantage in this fight is probably my experience. I’ve fought many different styles of fighters, and he’s not new,” the 41-year-old detailed.
Even with a 26-year age gap, Sam-A has an unwavering belief that he will get the job done. The electric strawweight kickboxing battle is part of a massive lineup at ONE 169, and Sam-A is ready to steal the show to make his move back into title contention.
“This fight should be fun because I will definitely give it my all. Let’s see who will attack more between me and him, or what game plans we will have. I’m confident, 100 percent,” Sam-A said.
ONE 169 airs live and free on Prime Video at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST to all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, November 8.
