ORONO WOR PETCHPUN

"From Rice Fields to Ring Glory"

I grew up in a family of 10 children. My parents were rice farmers, and from the age of 10, I worked in the fields under the hot sun. But I had a different dream. To ease the burden on my family, I worked as a fisherman after school, selling fish to pay for my school meals and save for a degree.

On Sundays, my father would watch Muay Thai fights on TV. One day, he said, “I have nine sons — pity none of them do Muay Thai.” Those words stayed with me.

At 15, a classmate told me he earned money in the ring and invited me to a nearby Muay Thai camp. The first time I stepped into that gym, I felt something shift in me. The coach said I was too skinny and too old to start, but I begged for a chance.

Within two months, I won my first fight and earned 300 baht. That victory lit a fire in me. I trained hard, won 8 fights in a row, and balanced school with training. I became known for my left hand, knees, and elbows — and eventually fought legends like Yodsanklai, Buakaw, and Saenchai.

In 2001, I became a stadium champion and earned my bachelor’s degree — a rare achievement in my province. That year, I beat Buakaw. My family was proud — not just because I won, but because I proved that with discipline, it’s possible to rise from hardship to honor.