"We had to endure so much" - Thai icon Superlek recalls the hardship he had to go through early in his childhood

Before Superlek Kiatmoo9 became a household name in ONE Championship, he had to navigate some of life's harshest trials. Born into poverty in the rural village of Buriram, Thailand, 'The Kicking Machine' grew up without a father, raised by his grandparents. At the same time, his mother labored in Bangkok to support the family.

Superlek recalled this phase of his life in a recent interview conducted by the promotion and said:

"I was raised by my grandparents. My mother had to send money back home from work. I was raised in hardship. We had to endure so much."

Check out the Instagram post below:

Superlek's grandfather, who introduced him to Muay Thai, was the closest thing to a father figure. But at just 16 years old, tragedy struck as the man whom he looked up to passed away suddenly, leaving a gaping void in Superlek's world.

But even in grief, Superlek pressed forward, returning to the ring determined to prove he was a champion not just in skill, but in spirit. Over time, he climbed the Muay Thai ladder and found global stardom after joining the world's largest martial arts organization in 2019. Since then, he has racked up 15 victories in 17 bouts, including five knockouts.

His accolades include the ONE flyweight kickboxing world title, which he claimed against Daniel Puertas in January 2023. Superlek cemented his legacy by knocking out Jonathan Haggerty in 49 seconds to seize the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title, making him one of the few two-sport, two-division world champions in the company's history.

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Superlek looks to redeem himself after tough loss

Superlek Kiatmoo9 is determined to redeem himself following a turbulent chapter in his storied career.

At ONE 172 last March, the Thai megastar was primed for a highly anticipated ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title unification rematch against interim world titleholder Nabil Anane. However, he flunked the weight and hydration tests during the official weigh-in window, leading him to be stripped of the crown and his status as a two-sport, two-division ruler.

Though the contest was downgraded to a non-title, three-round affair, the night only worsened for Superlek. Anane dominated his Thai rival for the majority of the bout to walk away with a clear-cut unanimous decision win.

Now fueled by the desire to reclaim his former glory, Superlek is targeting a comeback — and the trilogy with Anane may be just around the corner.

ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong has already hinted that rubber match to crown the undisputed king of the bantamweight Muay Thai bracket is in the works.