Ellis Badr Barboza’s ambition to win a world title in Muay Thai came to a disappointing end in Bangkok. The fight against Prajanchai PK Saenchai for the ONE strawweight Muay Thai championship was stopped by the ringside doctor.
Barboza, representing Britain, began the fight with energy, setting the pace using quick low kicks and jabs. Prajanchai, the defending champion, remained calm, using his teep kicks to keep distance.
Both fighters exchanged body kicks in the first round. However, Prajanchai, who is also the ONE strawweight kickboxing world champion, began to find his rhythm. He landed a strong straight punch and low kick combination, and finished the round with a sharp right elbow strike.
Prajanchai increased his aggression in the second round, attacking Barboza’s body with knees and punches.
The crucial moment happened when Prajanchai landed several sharp elbows. These strikes opened a deep cut above Barboza’s left eye, causing significant bleeding.
Despite the injury, Barboza, fighting out of Birmingham, showed resilience and even managed to land a combination of punches just before the end of the round.
In the third round, Prajanchai continued to apply pressure. He attacked Barboza with a series of uppercuts, hooks, and a downward elbow, but Barboza remained determined.
The fight was briefly paused in the fourth round due to an accidental low blow. When the fight restarted, Barboza had a period of success, mainly targeting the champion’s body with his attacks.
However, as Barboza landed a strong right elbow to Prajanchai’s head, Prajanchai immediately countered with a similar, very sharp elbow strike.
The cut on Barboza’s face was too severe. Referee Olivier Coste stopped the fight in the fourth round at 1:55, acting on the advice of the doctor.
With this victory, Prajanchai’s impressive record improves to 344 wins and 52 losses. His dominant performance also earned him a $100,000 performance bonus.
