On May 31 (Saturday), at K-1 BEYOND held at Yokohama BUNTAI in Kanagawa, K-1 WORLD GP Super Lightweight Champion Yodkhunpon Weerasakreck (Thailand / Weerasakreck Fairtex Gym) will defend his title against challenger Shu Inagaki (Japan / K-1 Gym Omiya Team Leon).

In September 2024, Yodkhunpon Weerasakreck scored back-to-back knockout victories over Can Pinar and Ionut Popa in the 7th K-1 WORLD GP Super Lightweight Title Tournament. He then defeated Shu Inagaki in the final to become the new champion. In February 2025, he successfully defended his title for the first time with a KO win over Hayato Suzuki.

His upcoming challenger, Shu Inagaki, had previously racked up 11 consecutive wins across K-1 and Krush. In the opening round of the same September 2024 tournament, he knocked out Lenny Blasi, then defeated Tomas Aguirre in the semifinals. Although he fell short against Yodkhunpon in the final, it was a narrow miss from becoming champion. In February 2025, he earned a decision victory over Daizo Sasaki, securing his second shot at Yodkhunpon’s K-1 Super Lightweight title.

Q: In February, you made your first successful defense of the K-1 WORLD GP Super Lightweight Title with a dominant KO over Hayato Suzuki. Looking back, what was your take away from that fight?
“It was a fight where I learned a lot. Successfully defending the title gave me confidence and helped me feel more composed going into fights. I believe it was a very valuable experience.”

Q: You have many fans in Japan. How did their support during the fight help you?
“It gave me a tremendous amount of strength. There are times when Thai fighters don’t receive much support abroad, so the cheers from Japanese fans truly encourage me and keep me going.”

Q: This is your second title defense, and your second time facing Shu Inagaki. What are your impressions of him?
“Inagaki is a very skilled fighter. He’s been gaining a lot of attention lately, and I think he’s especially good with his punches. In our last match in the tournament final, he had fought two full-round matches leading up to it, so I think he used a lot of energy and was already fatigued by the time he faced me.”

Q: Inagaki earned this title shot after defeating Daizo Sasaki by decision. Did you see that fight?
“Yes, I did. He seemed to have improved compared to before. But since I didn’t fight him myself that night, I couldn’t tell exactly what had changed.”

Q: Do you think this upcoming fight will play out differently from the tournament final?
“Yes, I believe it will. This time, we’re both focusing on just one match, so we’ll both be able to show 100% of our ability.”

Q: What kind of fight do you expect it to be?
“I think it will be similar to last time, but if I see an opportunity, I’ll go for the KO. I’m aiming for a KO with my punches. In any case, it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Q: You seem very well-suited for K-1 rules. What do you think is the reason for that, and what drives your motivation?
“I’ve naturally been a punch-heavy fighter since I was a child. Since I moved to Weerasakreck Gym, I’ve been focusing more on speed and punch training suited for kickboxing. I used to train mainly in Muay Thai, but now I also incorporate boxing into my routine. My motivation is to stay champion in K-1 for as long as possible.”

Q: What kind of preparation are you doing for this fight?
“I’m training the same way as other fighters, but I’m putting extra focus on tactical preparation.”

Q: Lastly, please share your thoughts going into this upcoming bout.
“Let’s meet on May 31 in Yokohama! I’ll be happy if you cheer for me at the venue or online. I, Yodkhunpon, will show you that will continue to defend this belt!”