ONE Fight Night 29: Martyna Kierczynska shows intent in victory over Hong Kong’s Yu Yau-Pui
In her first fight at atomweight after moving down from strawweight, Polish Muay Thai stand-out shows precision and timing in gritty battle
Martyna Kierczynska made a powerful statement in her atomweight debut at ONE Fight Night 29 in Bangkok, securing a hard-fought split decision win over Hong Kong’s Yu Yau Pui.
The Polish Muay Thai stand-out had already turned heads with a stunning debut victory over Nat “Wondergirl” Jaroonsak, but after falling short against Ekaterina Vandaryeva in her second outing, the move down to atomweight was a crucial step in her evolution as a fighter.
“It was really tough,” she said in a post-fight interview with the Post. “I think the toughest in my pro career, so I’m more than happy that I could win.”
Kierczynska showed precision and timing with her shots as well as resilience and grit in a three-round war, proving she has the gas tank and tenacity to hang with the best in the division. While every fighter dreams of a quick knockout, she recognised the value of a drawn-out battle.
“For sure I will gain more experience from this,” she said. “We know which mistakes I made, but I’m really happy that it was a three-round war. I think the fans love it. Everyone loves a knockout, but a really good fight is also great to watch.”
The 22-year-old’s decision to drop down from strawweight had already looked like a smart one on paper, and she confirmed that the cut to 52kg had gone smoother than expected.