Tadhg Gannon's unbeaten professional record came to an end on Saturday night as the Irish prospect dropped a closely contested unanimous decision to Thailand's Kimluay at Rajadamnern World Series (RWS) in Bangkok.

The judges scored the contest 29-28, with one judge awarding the second round to Gannon while the remaining two judges scored it in favour of Kimluay. Gannon responded by taking the third round on all three scorecards, but it wasn't enough to overturn the deficit created in the opening two rounds.

Round 1

Gannon faced the toughest opening round of his professional career against the experienced Thai. Kimluay applied consistent forward pressure from the opening bell, working effectively with punches and elbows at close range.

The Irishman was cut by elbows, suffering one cut beneath his cheek and another above his forehead, while Kimluay continued to find success during the exchanges. Gannon had moments of his own, landing clean shots throughout the round, but Kimluay's pressure and elbow work gave him the stronger opening three minutes.

Round 2

Following advice from his corner, Gannon made clear adjustments in the second round. Rather than engaging in close-range exchanges, he began using his range more effectively, establishing his kicking game and finding success with body kicks.

Despite carrying two cuts from the opening round, the 17-year-old remained composed and fought with greater control, making the contest much more competitive. It proved to be a closely scored round, with one judge awarding it to Gannon while the other two narrowly favoured Kimluay.

Round 3

Needing a strong finish, Gannon increased the pace in the final round and consistently pressed forward. He landed a series of body kicks while also mixing attacks upstairs with both left and right high kicks as he looked to force the fight.

Kimluay remained disciplined on the back foot, using his movement well and picking short elbows when Gannon closed the distance. However, Gannon's pressure, output and effective kicking appeared to earn him the final round on all three scorecards.

A Valuable Learning Experience

While the result ends Gannon's 14-fight winning streak and hands him the first defeat of his professional career, the performance is unlikely to diminish his reputation.

At just 17 years of age, Gannon stepped in against Kimluay, the No. 4-ranked RWS fighter, and remained competitive throughout the contest despite being cut early and facing significant adversity in the opening round. The adjustments he made between rounds and his strong finish highlighted both his composure and ability to adapt against elite opposition.

The defeat will undoubtedly sting, but performances like this often provide the experience needed for the next stage of a fighter's development. On another night, the closely contested second round could easily have swung the result the other way. That's the nature of Muay Thai, where small margins often decide the outcome.