Supergirl Jaroonsakmuaythai is only 17 but she already has her sights set on the biggest names in the strawweight division. Having made a successful debut for the promotion towards the tail end of 2020 she already has her eyes on two of the promotion’s stars,
“I will fight anyone, but I have my eyes on Anissa Meksen and Jackie Buntan, who fought against my sister,” Supergirl says.
Buntan is coming off a ONE on TNT Part IV win over Wondergirl Fairtex who is older and more experienced than her younger sister. But Supergirl would have no hesitation if offered the opportunity to avenge her sibling’s loss,
“I would like to see myself compete on another level as I’m a fighter. My dad wants me to fight experienced fighters so that I can get better, quicker.”
Different paths
In Thailand fighters compete under the name of their camp or sponsor. Supergirl explains how her and her sister ended up with similar nicknames but different second names,
“I use my father’s camp’s name while my sister uses Fairtex and trains over there. I think it’s good for her that she chooses her own way. She likes the new place, and she has met new friends, coaches, and sparring partners but for me, I am happy here with my parents. I still like to stay close to them.”
She is one of the younger fighters on the ONE Championship roster but Supergirl has over a decade of Muay Thai experience,
“My father has been teaching me Muay Thai since I was young, around 2 or 3 years old. I don’t even remember when I started. Muay Thai was just always part of my life.”
Straight and narrow
While it might seem like the two sisters were groomed for Muay Thai greatness by their families Supergirl is adamant this was no the case,
“My parents never thought that my sister and I would turn out to be professional fighters. We trained for fun, for exercise, and to protect ourselves,” she said.
However her father was keen to keep his daughters on the straight and narrow and felt that introducing them to the rules and traditions of Muay Thai was the best way to do it,
“My father always reminded me that if you know Muay Thai, you are not a gangster. If you want to fight, you have to fight in the ring and follow the rules,” she explains.
Stepping up
Supergirl was 10 when she had her first Muay Thai fight. She received a paltry 300 baht but can still remember the feeling of anticipation,
“I was so excited. I won my first fight by KO in the second round. My father said nobody believed him when he told people I fought for the first time.”
While ONE Championship’s purses are not disclosed the teenager would have earned significantly more for beating Milagros Lopez at ONE: ‘A New Breed’ Part II last year. She also needed significantly less time, finishing the Argentinian in a minute.
At the tender age of 17 time is on Supergirl’s side. She is proud to have secured a spot on the ONE Championship roster at such an early age and says she is ready for the challenge,
“The reason I signed with ONE is because it’s the biggest martial arts organization in the world. Many fighters would like to join here, and I am the same. I would like to step up for the challenge.”
