How Petchpanomrung Tamed Trindade
Neutralizing an aggressive puncher, plus strategies to deal with strong southpaw kickers.
Earlier this year, we looked at Petchpanomrung’s run through the Glory/RISE Featherweight Grand Prix. After handling Taiju Shiratori and Lee Sung-Hyun with ease, he faced off against streaking up and comer, Miguel Trindade, in the finals.
Trindade’s run through the Grand Prix solidified him as one of the best Featherweights in the world, as he dispatched Kento Haraguchi and Chadd Collins brutally, each inside a round. While he fell to Petchpanomrung in the finals, the 24 year old gave a great account of himself, taking Petchpanomrung to a competitive split decision.
Their first fight made it clear that Trindade was destined to challenge for Petchpanomrung’s Glory Featherweight championship before too long, and with a full camp dedicated to the fight and five rounds to distinguish himself, their rematch would be a more formidable challenge than any Petchpanomrung has faced since his 2023 loss to Chadd Collins.
Trindade took another fight in the interim, facing YA-MAN in an open gloved kickboxing match and battering him with his trademark left hook. The fight was called off in the third round after three left hook knockdowns in as many rounds.
After the win over YA-MAN, Trindade found himself right back in with Petchpanomrung, this time over five rounds for the Glory title. Trindade looked like a world beater in his recent run minus the Petchpanomrung fight, but the fighters he ran through - YA-MAN, Collins, and Haraguchi - were aggressive bangers willing to sacrifice defense for offense and walk onto his power. Petchpanomrung was a different challenge, his defensive aptitude uniquely suited to defusing Trindade’s powerful combinations.
Like the typical Thai outfighter, Petchpanomrung has had his roughest fights against swarmers who can get on top of him and stay there, bullying him in chaotic exchanges and denying him the clean reactions he likes to execute. From his famous knockout at the hands of Muangthai in his Muay Thai days to his difficulties with Chadd Collins, whose swarming pressure overwhelmed Petchpanomrung’s defensive radar but got him clobbered by Trindade, Petchpanomrung is near unbeatable when given space to work, by can be made uncomfortable through continual encroachment.