Superbon Singha Mawynn was atop ONE Championship and its stacked featherweight kickboxing division earlier this year, but it also came with a quick tumble at the hands of Chingiz Allazov in January.
The former ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion will return with a chip on his shoulder against fifth-ranked contender Tayfun Ozcan at ONE Fight Night 11: Eersel vs. Menshikov on Jun. 9, and he has been working at his own gym as he aims to get back on top.
“Now, we’re at Superbon Training Camp, my own gym. This place initially belonged to former Muay Thai fighter, Tawanrueng. Then he decided to quit. So, I rented it and made it my own business. Actually, I’ve been training here since I joined ONE, when I fought with Sitthichai. But now, there’s no one left here. So, I decided to rent this place to build my own business,” Superbon told ONE.
“Fairtex camp also supports me with equipment and other [stuff]. It just costs me [an] arm and leg to renovate this place. My camp will welcome foreigners who want to learn Muay Thai. We intend to train fighters under the camp’s name to fight in ONE as well. Because I have a lot of promising fighters from my father’s Muay Thai camp in my hometown. I will bring them here and drill them until they can fight in ONE.”
The 32-year-old striking star is looking forward to facing the only ranked opponent who he has not currently defeated, but he’s even more excited to compete inside the fabled Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.
ONE has been putting on weekly events in th Thai capital all year, and Superbon is delighted to be competing at such a presitious spectacel in his home country.
“For me, every fight that ONE brought to Lumpinee Stadium is a real treat for Thai fans. Normally, we have to go abroad to see a big event like this. But how lucky we are to be able to see such a world-class event every week,” Superbon said.
“And it’s good for me, too, because I can fight in my country, so I don’t have to waste time traveling overseas. Meanwhile, it is more comfortable for my fans to come to cheer me on. It made our lives easier. And of course, it is a great opportunity for people who can’t afford airfare to attend big events in Singapore, Malaysia, or USA.”
But competing in front of an audience of his compatriots also brings its own weight to bear, and it is something Superbon is keenly aware of ahead of his bout at ONE Fight Night 11.
As the lone Thai on the card, he is hoping the local crowd shows up and brings its passion for combat sports for a global audience to see.
“I have two feelings. Firstly, if the stadium is crowded, it means the fans come to see me as the country’s representative. But if the stadium is empty, I would probably feel heartbroken. Like, ‘Why is nobody coming to support me?’ On the other hand, having the fans cheering in the stadium makes me realize how much people love me. In the last meet-and-greet activity where I joined, I didn’t think there would be so many people wanting to see me at six o’clock in the morning,” Superbon said.
“I asked my team if anyone would really come that early in the morning. But I was surprised by the hundreds of fans queuing up to meet me. I’m really thankful that they came. And I would like to see the same phenomenon on Jun. 9. I’m the only athlete representing Thailand in this global event. But it’s a big responsibility on my shoulders, too.”
Ozcan will be a huge test for the former featherweight kickboxing king, but to combat what his Dutch-Turkish foe will be bringing to the ring, Superbon has got ideas from the numerous competitors that have appeared at ONE Friday Fights.
“In my training for the upcoming fight, I have practiced new techniques to utilize them in the ring. If you watch ONE Lumpinee, you will see that many fighters perform many unique Muay Thai techniques which work effectively, like flying knees then switching to high kicks. And I intend to use those techniques in my fight as well,” Superbon said.
The Thai superstar believes he should have gotten an immediate rematch for the gold against Allazov, but that didn’t happen, which was difficult for him to accept.
Spurred along by the home crowd and the high stakes at hand, however, Superbon is looking at the silver lining ahead of his return. Going into his upcoming bout, he says he is happy to put a stamp on Ozcan to show why he deserves a shot at getting the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Title back over his shoulder.
“Actually, I deserved a rematch with Chingiz immediately after that loss. But if ONE Championship wants me to fight with Tayfun first and then title shot, that’s totally fine for me.”
ONE Fight Night 11 airs live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Friday, Jun. 9. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers based in the U.S. and Canada.