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Bantamweights (Muay Thai)

Asa Ten Pow vs. Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon

Muay thai action permeates this card and includes this confrontation in the ONE bantamweight division. In one corner is Ten Pow, who is 1-1 in One Championship, as he was knocked out in his October 2022 debut but came back with a finish of Han Zi Hao in April. He faces Ajalaboon, who is 2-1 in ONE, with two knockouts via a gorgeous right hook and a split decision defeat to Fariyar Aminipour three months ago.

Ten Pow throws terrific kicks—powerful, accurate and technical—to the legs and body, and he features a wonderfully sudden, fast and athletic front push-kick to the breadbasket. At close range, he also has a clubbing, textbook right elbow. Moreover, his hands are well-developed, with a hard, straight jab, effective left hook that he can slam into the body and a sweet one-two. However, he scoffs at defense. Ten Pow covers up competently enough but often stands in place and hopes his offense crashes through before his opponent’s. Most of the time it does, but occasionally, it fails. Win or lose, however, it is always exciting. As for Ajalaboon, he has powerful, dynamic kicks, too, though his are directed at only the legs or head. The latter is consistently blocked at his current level, but his leg kicks are absolutely bone-shattering and fight-altering. His boxing is not as technical as Ten Pow’s, but his individual power punches are far deadlier, especially his devastating, beautiful, looping right hook, which legitimately puts opponents out cold with a single flush connection. Ajalaboon is similarly allergic to so-called “defense.”

Look for an exciting, close fight, but when it comes to toe-to-toe wars, always favor the younger competitor with the fresher chin and stouter knockout power in his fists. Ajalaboon wins by knockout.

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