After suffering a loss in his ONE Championship debut, River Daz could be forgiven for feeling as if his chances of competing at the top level have passed him by.
But if there’s one thing we know about the fight game, it’s that everything can change instantly.
The Australian Muay Thai star is now days away from the biggest fight of his career against a living legend, Seksan Or Kwanmuang, in a 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai battle at ONE Friday Fights 46 on December 22, live and free on 7plus.
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The Melbourne native splits his time between his home city and the famed Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand.
After falling to defeat at the hands of Romanian fighter Silviu Vitez over three hard-fought rounds this past June, Daz remained in Thailand following the fight in the hopes of a second chance on the ONE platform.
But the phone didn’t ring.
Then, in September, Thai star Nonthakit Tor Morsri needed a dance partner for ONE Friday Fights 31 after his opponent was forced to withdraw merely days before the bout.
It was a case of being in the right place at the right time for Daz. Deciding to stay at Fairtex following his debut loss undoubtedly aided him when the promotion went searching for a replacement.
The deeply thoughtful Australian had plenty of time to stew on his fight with Vitez, but he had no second thoughts when his opportunity came to step in on 48 hours’ notice to face Nonthakit.
“[After the loss] my mind said, ‘Oh yes, I want to fight again. I can’t wait to fight again.’ But nothing was really happening. I was training as if I was fighting, but nothing was lining up,” he recalled.
“Then, two weeks before I’m about to leave, ONE Championship called me up. They’re like, ‘Hey, we just had a fighter pull out and we need a replacement. Are you willing to do it?’ And I’m like, ‘When is it?’ They said it was in two days, and without hesitation, I’m like, ‘Yes, let’s do this.’
“I was training Iike I was fighting, and I was already mentally ready. I want to challenge myself and I’m also f****** crazy. So, I wanted to let myself be who I knew I could be without the doubts. I was going to stop thinking and just go for it. Nothing was going to stop me on that day.”
Little did he know, his fortunes were about to change dramatically.
Daz had a matter of hours to pack up his things, jump into the car with his team, and get ready to go to battle – and battle he did.
The bout was a “fight of the year” contender, as both men went back and forth trading four-ounce leather. Daz put the heavily tattooed Thai on the canvas in the second round, and it was enough to sway the judges’ scorecards in his direction unanimously.
Bloodied and battered, Daz couldn’t have been happier.
Even bigger things awaited him, however. Weeks later, a call came that even the ambitious fighter couldn’t have imagined.
ONE asked him to take part in its massive year-ending ONE Friday Fights 46 card at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, against one of the most feared Muay Thai fighters on the roster – Seksan.
“I won that fight [against Nonthakit], and now I guess it has shot me up to one of the biggest cards of the year in front of one of the biggest crowds I’ve ever had in my life. So yeah, it’s a fairytale fight in my eyes,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. If I didn’t try, I’d probably never really be able to live it down. I just had to say yes because this is what everybody dreams for. I’m just grateful, I’m blessed, and I’m honoured. I’m going to rise to the occasion and give it everything I got.”
The task awaiting him at ONE Friday Fights 46 is a monumental one.
Seksan is a veteran of 282 professional fights, including four Muay Thai world titles. The 34-year-old is riding a seven-fight winning streak since making his own ONE debut in January.
“The Man Who Yields To No One” earned his moniker through his ultra-aggressive style that saw him put on numerous classic fights against some of the best talent that the famous Thai stadium circuit has to offer.
But Daz, a former WMC Australian champion in his own right, refuses to be overawed by the occasion.
The 30-year-old will meet Seksan in the Lumpinee ring and steal the show in front of his nearest and dearest, most of whom are making the trek from Melbourne to watch him take on the fight of his life.
“Oh man, it’s going to be memorable. It’s going to be crazy. It’s going to be hectic. My family is going to be there, my partner’s going to be there, and that is just pushing me so much more and giving me so much more strength,” he said.
“I guess my biggest weakness is being away from my family. But to know that they’re going to be there with me is going to drive me insane. It’s going to make me just go above and beyond.
“Expect fireworks, expect craziness, because I’m definitely bringing it and I know he’s definitely going to bring it too.”
