ONE Championship
A debutant with 75 career fights does not intend to stand and trade with a Spanish slugger. He has built his entire game plan around making sure he never has to.
Exza Wankhongohm meets Xavier Gonzalez in flyweight Muay Thai at The Inner Circle 36 on Friday, October 30. The bout streams live in Asia primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, exclusively for members of The Inner Circle.
The 23-year-old Thai owns a 60-15 record from the regional circuit and makes his promotional debut in his first three-round, 4-ounce-glove contest. He says he enjoys the smaller gloves and is ready to adapt.
Gonzalez has seven ONE wins, four of them knockouts, including back-to-back finishes of Payaksurin JP Power and Chatanan Apichat Muaythai. His most recent outing ended in a narrow split-decision loss to Thway Lin Htet.
Exza knows the Spaniard well. He believes the Spaniard’s power is real, but that speed and kicks favor the newcomer.
“I know Xavier quite well. He’s a tough fighter, but I don’t think he has the tools to knock me out. Compared to me, Xavier is relatively slow. My style relies heavily on aggressive low kicks,” Exza said.
“Since Xavier relies heavily on his boxing, I need to stay focused on my kicking game and rely on my footwork to create angles. I will still use my hands, but I’ll throw strikes from lateral angles rather than exchanging directly in front of him.”
Exza Wankhongohm refuses to brawl with Gonzalez
Gonzalez is most dangerous in a chaotic firefight, where one reckless exchange can decide the bout. The Wankhongohm MBK representative is determined not to give him that opportunity.
A strong debut could put Exza on the path toward a US$100,000 contract. His plan for getting there is simple and disciplined.
“The plan isn’t to stand face-to-face and trade punches in the pocket. Instead, I’ll be utilizing my footwork — circling out to the sides, avoiding his direct power punches, and countering effectively,” Exza said.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
