- Tengnueng vs Bakhtin will headline ONE Friday Fights 121 in Bangkok, Thailand
- "Being in the main event brings more pressure because more people are watching," said Tengnueng Fairtex
- Standing across from the Thai striker will be the most dangerous type of opponent – a knockout artist
Muay Thai specialist Tengnueng Fairtex finally has his moment in the spotlight inside the legendary Lumpinee Stadium – and he plans to make it count against the most dangerous type of opponent imaginable.
The 32-year-old Thai features in a lightweight Muay Thai tussle against undefeated Russian destroyer Maksim Bakhtin, which headlines ONE Friday Fights 121 in Bangkok, Thailand, live in Asia primetime on August 22.
Despite having 121 battles under his belt throughout his 15-year career, headlining an event like ONE Friday Fights inside the Mecca of Muay Thai does leave him with butterflies in his stomach.
The Fairtex Training Center representative said:
“Being in the main event brings more pressure because more people are watching. But I’m very happy to get the honor of headlining this card.
“I’m ready to fight at my best, as always. I don’t know if I’ll win, but I know for sure I’ll go all out. Winning and losing are part of the game. Even though I’m at a disadvantage in many ways, I’m ready to fight.”
Standing across from the Thai striker will be the most dangerous type of opponent – a knockout artist with nothing to lose and everything to prove in his sophomore outing.
The Muay Thai Union athlete made an immediate impact at ONE Friday Fights 111 with a devastating 77-second knockout of Javier Aparicio this past June to take his slate to a pristine 10-0.
From that ferocious display, Tengnueng has identified Bakhtin’s speed as something he’ll need to neutralize in their showdown:
“Maksim is a very fast opponent with a lot of tricky weapons, and I have to be careful of his back kicks. So, for this fight, I’ve been focusing on practicing my timing and footwork to get in and out.
“I’m not feeling any pressure facing an opponent like Maksim. I’ll just do my best. I believe his hands aren’t as heavy, but he’s got the speed advantage.”
However, there’s an old saying that timing always beats speed, and that is what the Muay Thai technician plans to use when his opponent 10 years his junior goes hell for leather.
Tengnueng enters this headliner riding the momentum of his spectacular second-round highlight-reel finish of Germain Kpoghomou this past May, and he’d love nothing more than another quick night in the office when the pressure mounts under the bright lights of Lumpinee Stadium.
The 32-year-old continued:
“I’m ready to use my experience to go against his youth and speed. But, I can’t rush things. I’ll watch his game plan first and then adjust in the ring.
“From there, one or two clean hits might be all it takes to end the fight. I’m confident in my punches and elbows and will use them to the fullest.”
Beyond his desire to secure an impressive victory over Germain Bakhtin, Tengnueng Fairtex is fired up for the chance to finally silence the doubters.
Even after he dispatched Kpoghomou inside the distance at ONE Friday Fights 108, the naysayers refused to acknowledge his improvements.
He said:
“Before that fight, many people said I was going to get knocked out. But, even after winning, some still said I only beat a typical technical fighter. I don’t get it, I’m criticized when I lose and criticized when I win.”
For Tengnueng, a decisive victory over the highly regarded Bakhtin would serve as the ultimate response to his detractors.
The Russian’s undefeated record and debut knockout have generated significant buzz among fans. As such, the 103-win veteran knows this would be the perfect opportunity to shut down his doubters:
“If I can beat Maksim in this fight, the criticism from fans should die down a lot. Everyone is saying he’s much better than Germain. If I can get past him, it’ll prove that I’m ready to fight on this stage.”
