Ellis Badr Barboza picked up an impressive win against Thongpoon PK Saenchai on his ONE Championship debut in the opening bout at ONE Fight Night 17: Kryklia vs. Roberts.
Barboza left the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium with a hard-earned knockout win which came at 2:21 of the second round, breaking his Thai counterpart’s impressive four-win-streak.
The catchweight (60 Kg) Muay Thai contest, the 23-year-old Brit opened the first round with teeps and low kicks. Meanwhile, Thongpoon drove forward, utilizing his punching power.
In the second round, Thongpoon continued his forward charge, hitting the Brit with elbows and straight punches. Barboza countered with heavy body shots. The pivotal moment came when Barboza knocked down his Thai counterpart with a heavy right punch.
After making it back to his feet, Thongpoon drove forward again. The two fighters traded shots with Barboza hitting his Thai counterpart with a high kick right before the bell rang ending the second round.
Barboza’s cautious approach bore fruit in the third round as he finally found gaps in Thongpoon’s defense. Barboza’s heavy high left kick was followed with a left elbow shot by Thongpoon before the Brit felt the momentum shift to his side, going on the attack, throwing punches and elbows.
For the first time in the fight, Thongpoon retreated, seemingly shook by Barboza’s attacks. Barboza finished his opponent with a huge body shot, knocking out the Thai star with less than a minute to go on the third and final round.
With this win, the former WBC European Muay Thai champion raises his overall record to 17-5, earning his fifth consecutive win at the expense of Thongpoon who lost for the first time in four fights at ONE.
Nicknamed “El Jefe”, Barboza recently spoke about the reasons that drove him to convert to Islam (check video below).
