ONE Championship: Tawanchai could return in April, Superlek may need nine more months - Bangkok Post

Tawanchai PK Saenchai (left) and Superlek Kiatmoo9, pictured during their title reigns, remain sidelined by injury Tawanchai PK Saenchai could return to the ring around April 2027, while Superlek Kiatmoo9 may need another nine months to recover from knee surgery, according to ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong.

“I’ve heard Tawanchai will come back around April next year, but I’m not sure,” the chairman and CEO said in Thai during last week’s Facebook Live broadcast on the ONE Championship Thailand page.

Asked how much longer Superlek would need to recover, Chatri offered another tentative estimate.

“Perhaps around another nine months,” he said. “The ligament in his knee was torn, so everything needs time to recover.”

No comeback bouts were announced for either fighter.

Tawanchai has been out since suffering a fractured shin during his kickboxing defeat by Liu Mengyang at ONE Friday Fights 137 on December 19 last year.

A calf kick ended the contest after just 52 seconds, with surgery and an extended rehabilitation period following.

The 27-year-old relinquished his featherweight Muay Thai title in July, allowing interim champion Nico Carrillo to be elevated to undisputed status.

Tawanchai had held the belt since beating Petchmorakot Petchyindee in September 2022 and made four successful defences, including two against Superbon.

Carrillo will defend the undisputed title against Nabil Anane in a five-round rematch at The Inner Circle 43 on December 18 at Lumpinee Stadium.

Superlek tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during his bantamweight Muay Thai rematch with Abdulla Dayakaev at The Inner Circle 25 on August 7.

The 30-year-old’s knee buckled without contact 39 seconds into the second round, leaving him unable to continue and handing Dayakaev a TKO victory.

Superlek underwent surgery in Bangkok that month. The injury also ruled him out of an October 17 flyweight kickboxing title defence against Jonathan Di Bella, which had been announced just a day before the Dayakaev rematch.

Chatri had previously told the Bangkok Post in August that Superlek was “probably not going to be back for another six to 10 months”, depending on his rehabilitation.

Superlek relinquished the flyweight kickboxing title in September to focus on his recovery, ending a reign that began with his victory over Daniel Puertas in January 2023.

He had also held the bantamweight Muay Thai belt after knocking out Jonathan Haggerty in Denver in September 2024, but lost that title on the scales before facing Anane the following March.

The former two-sport champion made clear when stepping away from his remaining belt that he intended to fight again.

“For now, I need to take some time to let my body fully recover, and then I will be back,” Superlek wrote in a September Facebook announcement.

Superbon, meanwhile, will not return this year as he continues to recover from surgery, Chatri said.

“Superbon can’t fight this year, but next year he will fight, 100 per cent,” he said.

The promotion had offered the featherweight kickboxing champion a fight this year.

“His body is still not 100 per cent,” Chatri said.

The 36-year-old has not fought since his unanimous decision victory over Masaaki Noiri in their title unification bout at ONE 173 in Tokyo last November.

An injury forced the Thai out of a scheduled defence against Liu at The Inner Circle on May 22, and he has remained on the sidelines.

His next challenger is due to come from the ONE Samurai featherweight kickboxing tournament, with Noiri and Marat Grigorian through to the final after the October 17 card at Ariake Arena.

The tournament winner has been promised a shot at Superbon, but a date for the final has not been announced.