by Panpayak Jitmuangnon ends his two-year hiatus from ONE Championship at ONE Friday Fights 83. On Friday, October 18, “The Angel Warrior” faces Silviu “Hitman” Vitez in a Muay Thai flyweight showdown. After many fights in the ring, the 28-year-old explained that he needed some time off to recover physically and mentally.
“The main reason I decided to stop fighting was because I felt burnt out and had no motivation. I felt like I had been stressing my body for a long time, so I wanted to take a break and do something different,” Panpayak admitted to ONE.
Panpayak was honest that his motivation to get back into action only returned after a major life change. The 28-year-old welcomed his daughter into the world, and her arrival gave her a new urge to compete. At ONE Friday Fights 83 he gets to enter Lumpinee Stadium for the first time as a father.
“I have always followed ONE for the last two years. I admit I missed fighting a little, but I had no motivation to get back to fighting until I had a child. I wanted to come back to fight again because I wanted to show my child how good a fighter I was. If I didn’t have a child, I might never come back,” said the Thai athlete.
“The Angel Warrior” is using fatherhood as motivation to push for its Oct. 18 completion. The Thai star wants to add to his daughter’s highlight reel more than anything. However, a big return would immediately impact the crowded flyweight division and herald his return to form.
“My goal for this fight is to make an epic comeback with a knockout win. I want to show my daughter and everyone that Panpayak is still a great fighter,” commented the 28-year-old.
The motivated Muay Thai champion takes his return so seriously that he delves deep into the film about Silviu. The Romanian has Panpayak’s full attention. The Thai athlete discussed what makes his opponent dangerous in his breakdown of the 30-year-old striker.
“Silvius’ fighting style is different from that of other foreign boxers who get in and out quickly. He stands almost still and exchanges one after another, like Thai fighters. His strengths are his stamina and all-round weapons, so I plan to use my superior experience to fight him,” noted Panpayak.
“The Angel Warrior” wanted to make it clear what fans can expect in Friday’s flyweight showcase. He was adamant that he will return with a new aggressive style that is sure to delight the crowd at Lumpinee Stadium. If all goes as planned, Panpaypak’s return could sound the alarm for a red-hot flyweight chase in 2025.
“I worked hard on my punches for this fight. As for kicks, don’t worry, you’ll definitely see them in the ring. I’ll try to push forward as much as I can because I think a lot of fans still see me as a fighter who likes to back down. “For this fight, I will show my fans that I am a new Panpayak who has changed his style to be more aggressive and no longer retreat,” said the flyweight.
ONE Friday Fights 83 will air live from Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, October 18th. The action begins at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT. The event will be broadcast for free on ONE’s official YouTube channel.
