Sam-A brushes aside retirement talk, eager to test himself against Zhang Peimian at ONE 169 작성일 11-03 196 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2024/11/03/0000061007_001_20241103104817979.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc"> Sam-A Gaiyanghadao [ONE CHAMPIONSHIP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao‘s climb back toward a ONE World Title will continue at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug when he takes on Chinese phenom “Fighting Rooster” Zhang Peimian in a pivotal strawweight kickboxing clash. <br><br>That matchup will air live in U.S. primetime on Nov. 8, from the historic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. <br> <br> For the 41-year-old Sam-A, this fight will be another chance to prove he still belongs among the best of the best strikers on the planet. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2024/11/03/0000061007_002_20241103104818176.jpg" alt="" /></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> He most recently scored a spectacular first-round knockout over French-Algerian standout Akram “La Pepite” Hamidi, reminding fans that he carries jaw-dropping power in his pinpoint counter-striking. <br> <br> Despite that win against a young star, many wonder if the veteran is just about ready to call it quits. But for his part, Sam-A told onefc.com that he’s not considering retirement yet. <br> <br> “I will keep fighting until my body can’t take it anymore," he said. <br> <br> As a former ONE Strawweight Kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion, as well as a former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion, Sam-A has cemented himself as an all-time great and certainly has nothing left to prove in his career. <br> <br> Still, he continues to challenge himself against young and hungry contenders. His inspiration to keep fighting, he says, comes from his loved ones <br> <br> “I have two motivation sources," he said. "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. <br> <br> “The second source is from my wife because she always motivates and pushes me. She says she will always be by my side.” <br> <br> Motivated to secure a more comfortable future for his children and make his wife proud, the Evolve representative is aiming to once again wear 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold around his waist. <br> <br> While a win over a former ONE World Title challenger like Zhang could make him deserving of a shot at reigning strawweight kickboxing kingpin Prajanchai PK Saenchai, the Thai thinks he’ll have to win at least one more time to earn it. <br> <br> And no matter his age, Sam-A insists there’s still plenty of fight left in him. <br> <br> “I want to get back to being a ONE World Champion before I retire," he said. "However, I think winning this fight is too early for me to have a shot at gold.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.” <br> <br> Sam-A Gaiyangahdao’s aspirations of reclaiming the World Title are great in theory, but he’ll first have to get past the dangerously talented Zhang Peimian. <br> <br> Twenty years his junior, “Fighting Rooster” is feared for his ferocious, high-volume attack and endless combination striking. <br> <br> Sam-A is well aware of the serious threat he will face at ONE 169 <br> <br> “This fight should be a challenge because he’s younger than me and he’s a tough fighter," he said. "This fight is a test of my body.” <br> <br> The longtime star might not be able to match his foe’s raw physicality and youthful energy, but he can lean on his veteran savvy and masterful technique against the hard-hitting Chinese prodigy. <br> <br> “I discovered many weaknesses in him, such as when he punches, he leaves windows open," he said. " My main advantage in this fight is probably my experience. I’ve fought many different styles of fighters, and he’s not new.” <br> <br> In the end, the former titleholder expects his clash with Zhang to be a battle of aggression and fight-IQ — and he plans to come out on top. <br> <br> Given his illustrious career and decades of experience against the planet’s top strikers, it’s no surprise that Sam-A is full of self-belief <br> <br> “This fight should be fun because I will definitely give it my all," he said. "Let’s see who will attack more between me and him, or what game plans we will have. I’m confident, 100 percent.” <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2024/11/03/0000061007_003_20241103104818251.jpg" alt="" /></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> 관련자료 이전 707 강은미, 수영 중 조류에 밀려 아찔 위기 “절벽 거꾸로 올라가는 느낌”(강철부대W) 11-03 다음 펜타곤 후이X오나예, 오늘(3일) '정숙한 세일즈' OST '이런 날' 男女 버전 동시 발매 11-03 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
