Thai Petchmorrakot Petchyindeeacademy took the win by split decision against Italian Giorgio Petrosyan last Friday (May 13) in Singapore and was expected to proceed to semi-final of ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix with US $1 million at stake. Mid this week the promotion announced an overturn of the verdict and “formally declared the bout a ‘No Contest'” with an immediate rematch to take place. According to the statement “The referee [Atsushi Onari] did not adequately control the illegal clinching, resulting in multiple infractions during the bout”.

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Petrosyan shared the news with his fans on Instagram, thanking ONE Championship and its CEO and chairman “to make justice”.

“This morning I’ve been woke up by a call. This was Chatri Sityodtong. He announced me my last fight has been reviewed. I knew from the beginning ONE Championship is a promotion of valors and I choosed to fight for it because it is run by a man of principles and ethics. Now all the world knows it. Thank you Chatri thank you ONE Championship to make justice. I am back, I am on the run now [sic].”

The boss of Petchyindee, Boat Yindee also took it to Instagram. Yet, among everything the representative of Petchmorakot made a “request to withdraw [his fighter] from World Grand Prix, because even if we agree to rematch and this happen again, Petrosyan’s fans will not accept the decision and there’s do way to win [sic], reads the announcement initially reported by Fansided.

Another statement from Petchyindee came the day after in order “to make it clear to everyone about why we withdrawn Petchmorakot from the tournament”. The camp insists that no rules were broken by their fighter regarding clinching and he won the fight by split decision, while the rematch with Petrosyan can be done after the tournament culminates. The statement also advises that “Petrosyan manager team submits [submitted] a complaint to ONE Championship about the result [of their fight]”.

“He [Petchmorakot] deserves to get into the semi-final against Jo. We couldn’t let anyone to put the guilt he didn’t make on him and takeaway his victory,” reads the statement among everything. “We won’t get any advantages from the rematch; Petrosyan team is the only party who does. It just like he get ‘A second chance from his loss’ to get into the tournament again [sic].”

“Yes! We won Petrosyan by knees in kickboxing rules, but still we didn’t break any rules.”

With the withdrawal of Petchmorrakot Petchyindee from the tournament, and return Giorgio Petrosyan, Jo Nattawut faces the latter in semi-final. Another semi-final bout features Samy Sana up against Dzhabar Askerov.

ONE Championship is yet to make a statement regarding the announced withdrawal of Petchmorrakot Petchyindee.