His father brought him to Muay Thai growing up in a hill tribe with very little. Now Maisangkum Sor Yingcharoenkarnchang trains for his own son, hoping every win opens a door his family never had.
Maisangkum faces Petnamkhong Sor Maneekhot in the strawweight Muay Thai main event of ONE Friday Fights 158, streaming live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, June 12.
The 25-year-old Boxing Army 3 representative enters on the back of a unanimous decision win over Petsangwan Sor Samarngarment at ONE Friday Fights 115. Before that, a first-round knockout loss to Watcharaphon Laochokcharoen at ONE Friday Fights 92 snapped a 6-0 start that included four knockouts.
The loss hurt. It also taught him something specific about himself that has shaped every training session since.
Petnamkhong arrives on a two-bout winning streak, including a TKO over Tonglampoon FA Group, and brings a growing repertoire to the ring that has made him one of the weekly series’ most improved fighters.
Maisangkum is not pretending the Watcharaphon loss was simply bad luck. He was too hot-headed, too careless, and paid for it. He went back to his gym, fixed the emotional leaking that cost him the fight, and came back controlled.
“I learned a major lesson from my loss to Watcharaphon: I can’t be careless and too hot-headed, because that leads to a poor performance. I adjusted that for my latest fight,” he said.
“Getting back into the win column has given me a lot more motivation to keep fighting. I was highly focused, and everything turned out exactly how I envisioned it.”
Maisangkum plans to exploit Petnamkhong’s punching weakness and finish it clean
Maisangkum Sor Yingcharoenkarnchang has watched Petnamkhong closely and found the opening. The Laotian’s knees and elbows are real weapons. His punching output is not. Speed and counter-striking are where Maisangkum holds the edge, and his game plan is built entirely around that gap.
He has earned 54 career victories. Friday adds to the number. More than that, a finish and a contract would mean something far beyond the result.
“My plan for this fight is to gradually move forward and close the distance, prioritizing caution first. Once the first round is out of the way, I’ll step on the gas,” he said.
“If I see an opening to finish the fight, I’ll take it immediately. I’m confident in my punching power; if I land cleanly, he’s definitely going down. I will do my absolute best in this fight. I want to keep this winning streak alive, fight for my son, and open up the opportunity to chase that ONE contract once again.”
