- George Chung
- Mar 21, 2024
- 3 min read
Nong-O Hama has lost two straight bouts, but that doesn’t mean the former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion is giving up on his climb back to the top of the mountain in ONE Championship at ONE Friday Fights 58.
The talented Thai striker will try to get back in the win column on Friday, April 5, against Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai at ONE Friday Fights 58.
After a decorated career, some have speculated that Nong-O could be staring down the barrel of retirement, but the legendary Muay Thai figure assures everyone his time in the sport is not done yet.
“In my opinion, my setbacks are something that can happen to any athlete. But my heart is still fighting. My body is still able to do it. Let me say it again: This fight is not going to be my last fight,” Nong-O told ONE.
Many elite athletes across various sports will talk about how the mental game is just as big of a part of athletics as the physical. For Nong-O, that rings true even more in the face of recent defeats.
The Thai superstar admits to facing those negative feelings head-on and putting them behind him to focus on taking the next step back toward prominence.
“I accept that I cannot avoid having a negative attitude. Anyone feels bad when they lose, but I try not to dwell on negative feelings too much,” the Thai icon admitted.
The match against “Left Meteorite” is more than just about getting another win on the global stage. After losing his gold to Jonathan Haggerty, Nong-O wants to use this match as a statement he is ready to contend again.
“I was a champion before, and I lost my belt. I will say that I thought about coming back to take my belt back as soon as I lost to Jonathan Haggerty. Now, I’m trying to earn a title shot, and I believe that I’ll come back greater than ever,” Nong-O stated.
“My goal before retiring is to become the World Champion again.”
The want to get his title back over his shoulder is making Nong-O an even more dangerous opponent. The 37-year-old has been breaking down Kulabdam’s game to tailor a game plan toward the heavy-handed striker.
“I change my training and game plan for every fight because each of my opponents has a different style,” the former bantamweight king said.
“For this fight, I know my opponent has a good punch. So I focused on protecting myself from his punches.”
Driven by the desire to earn a shot at the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title, Nong-O is anticipating another exciting bout in Bangkok to showcase his legendary Muay Thai skills.
If Kulabdam matches the intensity, Nong-O is prepared for a three-round firefight.
“This fight is going to be explosive. I’m ready to go toe-to-toe with him, and I’ll never back down,” Nong-O said.
Although much respect is given to his Thai counterpart, Nong-O wants to deliver a message that he will not walk through him and take his spot in the bantamweight pecking order.
“I give Kulabdam 10 out of 10. This man is in top form right now. But he doesn’t dare think that he’s going to beat me easily,” Nong-O stated.
ONE Friday Fights 58 airs live and free on ONE’s official YouTube channel on Friday, April 5. The action begins at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.
