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From the streets of Birmingham, England, to the grand stage of ONE Fight Night 28, Ellis Badr Barboza is on the verge of completing a remarkable journey. This Friday, February 7, the British strawweight Muay Thai contender will challenge Prajanchai PK Saenchai for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title inside the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
For Barboza, this fight represents far more than a championship opportunity. Having grown up in homelessness alongside his mother, every step of his journey has been about survival. Now, standing at the precipice of history, he believes his hunger and desire to succeed will give him the edge over his seasoned opponent.
Prajanchai, a two-sport world champion, has accomplished everything there is to achieve in Muay Thai. With nearly 400 fights to his name, the Thai superstar is widely regarded as one of the sport’s greats. However, Barboza sees this as an opportunity to exploit a potential weakness in his opponent.
“I think the weakness of Prajanchai is that I am more young. I’m more hungry. I want this more. I’m more daring than him. He’s done everything already, so I don’t know how much he wants this,” Barboza stated.
Barboza’s rise in ONE Championship has been meteoric. His resilience and never-say-die attitude have brought him to the cusp of Muay Thai greatness. Though he enters as an underdog, it’s a role he has thrived in throughout his life. He’s faced adversity before, and on fight night, he believes it will be his mindset that separates him from the champion.
“He’s already built his name. He already has the title. I don’t know how hungry he is, how hard he’s training, how much he wants this. So I think the weakness could be in his own mindset.”
With gold and glory on the line, Ellis Badr Barboza is ready to seize his moment. Can he dethrone Prajanchai and complete his inspirational journey? The world will be watching.