Buakaw Banchamek continued his comeback tour with another win.
Over the past two decades, Buakaw has etched his name into Muay Thai history by securing numerous achievements, including world titles in the K-1 MAX, Thai Fight tournament, Omnoi Stadium, Lumpinee Stadium, WBC, and more.
Buakaw has been somewhat overlooked for the last few years, as he’s now 41 years old, and Muay Thai is known for being a young man’s sport. Yet, the Thai legend has picked up two big wins in 2023, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
Following two disappointing no-contests and a draw, Buakaw Banchamek signed on for a fight against fellow Muay Thai legend Saenchai, who is 43 years old.
Instead of a traditional matchup, the Thai greats competed in a bare-knuckle Muay Thai bout under the BKFC banner. The fight didn’t meet the fans’ expectations, but Buakaw still emerged victorious by unanimous decision.
As a result, he decided to continue fighting by challenging Nayanesh Ayman to a kickboxing bout inside the historic Rajadamnern Stadium for the main event of Legend of Rajadamnern: The Revenge.
In February 2018, Nayanesh Ayman and Buakaw fought in a Muay Thai bout at Kunlin Fight 69, with Buakaw securing a first-round knockout win.
This time, Buakaw knocked down Ayman in round one before ultimately going the distance and getting his hand raised by unanimous decision.
The Thai legend confirmed he was retiring from kickboxing bouts in Thailand, but he’s still interested in pursuing other challenges in martial arts. So, the question is, what’s next?
No signs of slowing down for Buakaw.
Just four weeks after defeating Saenchai, the Thai legend picked up another win against Nayanesh Ayman. pic.twitter.com/1xJsDavULs
— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) December 2, 2023
What’s next for Buakaw Banchamek?
Buakaw Banchamek has earned the right to pursue super-fights against fellow legends, similar to what he did with Saenchai. Therefore, his next fight will be against an unexpected opponent that will likely capture the attention of combat sports fans.
Earlier this year, Buakaw participated in a press conference with Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao to announce a 155-pound exhibition boxing match. Although the rules could change, the current plan is for six three-minute rounds, with two-minute breaks in between.
It’s unclear what the exact date for Pacquiao vs. Buakaw is, but the combat sports icons are expected to fight in early 2024.
Manny Pacquiao 🇵🇭 & Buakaw Banchamek 🇹🇭 face to face. Never thought I’d see that. pic.twitter.com/5nIdI5SMMx
— Muay Thai Chai (@muaythaichai) July 21, 2023
