Former ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon is back at the top of the featherweight kickboxing division, but he had to go through a war to get there.

In the main event of ONE Friday Fights 58 last Friday, April 5, the Thai superstar edged out longtime rival Marat Grigorian for a second time in ONE Championship to claim the ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Title in front of his home crowd at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Superbon wins it all!

The match looked close through all five rounds, and both men gave everything they had to get their hands on the prestigious golden strap. But when the dust had settled, the Superbon Training Camp representative saw his hand getting raised via unanimous decision, and he expressed how proud he was of his performance in the post-fight interview. 

“I feel like I won every round. I’m really happy with my victory. Even though I wasn’t doing so good early, I still did good enough to beat him,” Superbon said. The Thai striking superstar arrived in the world’s largest martial arts organization in 2020, riding a 9-fight win streak.

Trending

Fresh Controversy Brews After Sha’Carri Richardson and Team USA ‘Outfit’ Fallout As Athlete Robbed of Paris Olympics Dream Over Sponsorship

May 01, 2024 04:27 PM EDT

‘I Was Already Salty’- Serena Williams Pokes Husband Alexis Ohanian Over His $180 Million Master-Stroke for Their Daughter Olympia

May 03, 2024 08:01 PM EDT

Martin Truex Jr’s Crew Chief Makes Heartbreaking 4-Word Racing Admission

May 04, 2024 04:11 PM EDT

Billionaire Michael Jordan’s Drink With Derek Jeter Was Enough for Yankees Legend to Invest in $11.69 Billion Worth Industry

May 03, 2024 01:00 PM EDT

“Coward”: Deion Sanders’ Innocence Shines as Dylan Edwards and Father’s Behavior Exposed in Fiery Feud With Colorado Buffs

May 04, 2024 04:10 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

At that time, the man responsible for his last loss was Grigorian. The pair met a second time in March 2022, where Superbon outclassed the Armenian through five rounds to defend the undisputed featherweight kickboxing crown.  After going through another long battle with Grigorian this past weekend, the new interim king admitted that his old rival had made plenty of improvements since their latest meeting.

 “I think he did a little bit better from ONE X. This time, he changed the game because he pressured me. I needed to change the game, too, because I didn’t think he could pressure me,” Superbon said. “But we prepared, too. Because he pressured close, I did a knee to the body every time he punched, and that helped me stop his pressure.”

Grigorian and his pressure weren’t easy to beat

Grigorian looked like a man on a mission this time around, and he consistently pushed Superbon to prevent him from unleashing his much-vaunted kicks. However, the Thai star showed that he had also improved in the time between their two meetings in ONE Championship, and this made the difference.  

Superbon vs. Grigorian and Eersel vs. Nicolas – ONE Championship Offers Stacked Double-Header on Friday With ONE Friday Fights 58 on Pay-Per-View and ONE Fight Night 21 on Prime Video

“He pressured me in the first round. He tried to figure out my distance from the last fight. He did figure it out and put me in a little danger,” Superbon said. “But from my experience, I can adjust, too. I countered back every time he came close. I still have close-range weapons, like my short knees to the body.” Now that he has claimed the interim strap, Superbon is setting his sights on a rematch with reigning king Chingiz “Chinga” Allazov to unify the division’s top prize. And he’s also looking to redeem himself against another fighter with a victory over him – Tawanchai PK Saenchai.

The 33-year-old took Tawanchai all the way to the judges’ table when he challenged him for the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion last December, only to lose out by decision. But with momentum behind him, revenge is the next thing on his mind. “That’s another goal – my goal still. I want to be a Kickboxing World Champion, and I want to be a Muay Thai World Champion, too. That’s my goal,” Superbon said. 

Superbon Wins ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Friday Fights 68