SUMMARY
- Zakaria El Jamari is set to make his return at ONE Fight Night 22.
- In his last bout at ONE 166: Qatar, El Jamari lost to Ali Saldoev.
Zakaria El Jamari Ready To Bounce Back Against Thongpoon At ONE Fight Night 22
In just his second appearance in ONE Championship, Moroccan Muay Thai sensation Zakaria El Jamari plans to showcase his true skill set against Thai star Thongpoon PK Saenchai at ONE Fight Night 22: Sundell vs. Diachkova on Prime Video at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 3.
Returning just two months after his recent setback at ONE 166: Qatar where he had to swallow a defeat in his debut against Ali Saldoev, El Jamari aims for redemption in enemy territory. And despite facing the aggressive and formidable Thongpoon, he is still brimming with confidence ahead of this next crucial bout.
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“I am extremely excited for the fight. It’s in Thailand against a strong Thai fighter inside the greatest Muay Thai stadium in the world. It is a wonderful thing and a huge added value for a Muay Thai fighter to perform at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium,” he said.
Against a veteran with 79-23 career record, El Jamari – a ruthless counter striker in his own right – predicts a second-round knockout to silence any doubts about his prowess. In fact, he believes the Thai’s overly aggressive style will be his undoing.
“Thongpoon is a very good fighter. He has powerful hands and feet. But he also has weak points. I think he can be reckless at times, and I will look to take advantage of that,” El Jamari said. “My game plan is to continuously press him and wait for the opening. Whenever he feels the pressure, he will attack recklessly, and I’ll be waiting to capitalize on that.”
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El Jamari understands the huge task in front of him, but he also knows that a victory against Thongpoon will send a message to the rest of the Muay Thai strawweight division.
Zakaria El Jamari has taken lessons from his ONE debut loss
This fight against Thongpoon PK Saenchai is critical for Zakaria El Jamari, as his ONE Championship debut didn’t go as planned.
Already racking up multiple Arab titles in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, as well as a short stint in professional boxing, the Moroccan arrived in the world’s largest martial arts organization with high expectations. However, his fight against Ali Saldoev went south due to poor conditioning.
“I took the fight 14 days ahead of the event. I wasn’t fit enough to fight at a high pace for several rounds. In the second round, I was already tired when I received a powerful strike that ended the fight. It was a fitness issue. I lost the fight because I wasn’t ready for it,” El Jamari said.
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Reflecting on his shortcomings in his promotional debut, Zakaria El Jamari will not make the same mistake against dangerous Thai striker Thongpoon at ONE Fight Night 22.
“My performance is now at an excellent level. I am fit and ready. I have prepared a game plan for my next fight, and everything is going as it should. I am mentally and physically ready,” he said.
Now feeling positive about his fitness level, the Moroccan is ready to showcase his elite talent against one of Thailand’s finest, which will create a massive and fiery bout at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.