Sean Clancy seeks to demolish formidable Pongsiri to prove himself among striking martial arts elite
WBC Super Lightweight World Champion and Irish veteran Sean “Clubber” Clancy, 31, plans on making his One Championship debut a memorable one, aiming to prove himself among the best strikers in the world at the One Super Series.
With a win over his next opponent, he can do just that.
Fans can catch Clancy in action tomorrow night (September 11) against Thailand’s Pongsiri PK Saenchaimuaythaigym in the headline bout at the One: A New Breed II event that was previously recorded in Bangkok.
“What better place to represent your country than on the big stage of One Championship?” Clancy remarked. “It’s not just the minutes going through your preparation. It’s the blood, sweat and tears, and it’s the years, weeks and months going into this moment,” he said.
“To test your skills on the big stage and represent your country, you can’t put it into words, honestly. It’s everything for a fighter in this position.”
Clancy faces a formidable opponent in Pongsiri.
Pongsiri is a four-time Muay Thai World Champion who has trained in the ‘art of eight limbs’ since he was seven. He’s won the Thailand Championship, a WBC World Title and several prestigious stadium belts, including the vaunted Lumpinee World Title.
Pongsiri’s reputation certainly precedes him. But Clancy isn’t fazed one bit by his opponent’s impressive credentials. The Irishman exudes confidence in his ability to score an upset against the hometown hero.
“Pongsiri is a very aggressive fighter. He has strong hands and he comes forward,” the Irishman said. “He likes to throw his punch combos and finish them off with a kick, and he is a very strong ‘stand-there’ type of fighter,” Clancy noted.
“He doesn’t appear like a person who steps into the ring with fear, and that doesn’t bother me. I always say to people about myself: ‘A man with no fear is a man to fear.’ Do to me what you can. We’re both stepping into the ring knowing the dangers involved.”
One: A New Breed II was a closed-door, audience-free event recorded in the Thai capital. Aside from the compelling main event, fans can look forward to a plethora of exciting contests, including a showdown between Thailand’s Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Tunisia’s Fahdi Khaled, as well as the debut of PBA Thailand Champion supergirl Jaroonsak Muaythai, who took on Argentinian Muay Thai Champion Milagros Lopez.
Clancy is fixated on getting the victory in his first time inside the One Championship ring, in order to send a message to the rest of the division that he has finally arrived on the world’s top platform for striking martial arts.
“Winning means everything because it’s testing who you are, and testing your skills, your preparation, your training, everything,” Clancy stated.
“To win on the main stage, you can’t put it into words. To win against a fighter like Pongsiri, who is well-recognised and is well-known throughout the fight scene here, would mean everything. It shows I am ready to go with the big boys here,” Clancy added.
