The fighting rings of Thailand are some of the toughest in the world. It takes exceptional skill and toughness to be a Muay Thai champion in the homeland of the art, but Aikpracha (89-18-5, 53 KO’s) has made it look almost easy.
Among his numerous honors are the Lumpinee Stadium belt (147lbs), one of the most prestigious titles in Muay Thai, as well as a national Thai championship title and first place in two of the esteemed World Muay Thai Council tournaments (2010, 2012).
Aikpracha holds wins over GLORY veterans Jordan Watson (42-6-2, 28 KO’s), Warren Stevelmans (64-20-1, 20 KO’s), Yury Bessmertny (32-11-1, 16 KO’s) and Fabio Pinca (88-20-3, 37 KO’s).
On Saturday, March 8, he will be in Zagreb, Croatia for a lightweight (154lbs/70 kgs) fight with the one-time K-1 MAX World GP winner Albert ‘The Hurricane’ Kraus (73-17-3, 43 KO’s) at GLORY 14 ZAGREB.
Followers of the Muay Thai scene are very excited about this match and the Thai fighter’s debut. Even in a sport renowned for toughness, Aikpracha stands out.
He is known as a hard-style, forward-pressure fighter who never takes a step backwards and always looks for the knockout. Those qualities, plus his formidable power and slick skills, have earned him a call-up from the GLORY World Series.
“I am very excited to be fighting for GLORY. It is the biggest organization of its kind in the world and I am very thankful to them for choosing me. I will show GLORY my gratitude by giving them and the fans the best fight possible,” he says.
Aikpracha fights out of the Meenayothin Gym in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. The team is renowned for having one of the hardest training regimens in a sport, which is already notorious for hard training.
Meenayothin is one of Thailand’s top teams. As well as Aikpracha, it also houses Rajadamnern Stadium champion Dernchonlek, two-time national champion Mondam Sor Weerapon, a former Lumpinee champion himself, and former Thai national champion Dentoranee Sor Weerapon.
Two-time WBC boxing champion Wanheng also trains at Meenayothin Gym. He has a 32-0 record with 10 KO’s and provides Aikpracha with the kind of hand-pressure in sparring, which will set him up well for a meeting with the boxing-based Kraus.
Aikpracha is known for his use of elbows under Muay Thai rules. But there are no elbows allowed under GLORY rules, as they often cause cuts that can force a fight to be stopped before it can be ended decisively.
“I like to use all the weapons I am allowed to use,” he shrugs. “I like punching and kicking as much as anything else. I’m an aggressive fighter, one that does not like to leave the decision in the hands of the judges.
Debuting for the GLORY World Series can be a nerve-racking affair. The arena settings, big screens and overall high production standards are a reminder to the fighter that they are on the global stage, with millions watching around the world.
Aikpracha relishes the prospect. When he makes his way down the catwalk to the ring, past smoke and fireworks, silhouetted against giant video screens bearing his image, his thoughts will be on his family back in Thailand.
“My family is my motivation. They support me and I fight to support them, to give my parents and family a better life. With my fights I can give my family a better future and I won’t let anybody stop me from doing that,” he says.
“Albert Kraus is a big name and was a famous champion but that only motivates me more. Trust me, I will make sure that everybody knows the name Aikpracha Meenayothin after this fight. I am coming for the knockout. Nothing else will satisfy me.”
