Singtongnoi Por Telakun
The life
of a martial arts legend is never easy as the path to greatness is typically
laden with a myriad of seemingly impossible challenges. For multiple-time
Muay Thai world champion Singtongnoi Por Telakun, the hardships came early in
life.
Growing up in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, he was raised in extreme poverty and experienced the trials and tribulations of going through day-to-day life with very little. The grim reality became the driving
force to dig his family out of the trenches and pursue martial arts in the
hopes of a brighter future.
“I would help out around the house to lighten my
parents’ workload. After that, I trained hard every single day. It was tiring
and torturous, I wanted to quit, but I thought about my future and the people
that I love. I couldn’t quit. I had to fight for the people that I love,” he
recalled.
Despite the financial obstacles, Singtongnoi still found a way to train and maximize the resources that he had back then.
“I would train at home, kicking an old sack of
rice filled with sand. I also trained at the local sala with the other
children,” he shared.
The kind
of dedication that he exhibited soon became synonymous with the type of work
ethic Singtongnoi showcased as an elite athlete. With determination and
dedication, success was something that he would build with his own two hands as
Singtongnoi became one of the most popular Muay Thai practitioners in Thailand,
winning numerous prestigious titles throughout his celebrated career such as
the Lumpinee Muay Thai world championship.
Famous
for his relentless style in the ring, Singtongnoi has beaten some of Thailand’s
biggest Muay Thai superstars, having 300 professional bouts under his belt. Things
took a turn for the worse when his Muay Thai career came to an end, and he had
to go back to selling goat milk to make ends meet.
Fortunately,
Singtongnoi received an offer to join the Evolve MMA in Singapore as an
instructor, and since then, he had been able to support his family. Just
when things started to look promising in the life of Singtongnoi, a devastating
news came his way, revealing that he was diagnosed with stage three cancer.
“I was
stunned and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I started to cry. I was in
disbelief. I thought I was going to die for sure.”
“The
cancerous tumor was about two centimeters long. It went through my whole nasal
cavity, all the way down to the lymph nodes in my neck,” Singtongnoi described.
Singtongnoi
had to undergo several medical procedures in Singapore to treat his severe
condition.
“After undergoing the radiation therapy and
chemotherapy, my throat hurt and I had burns from the radiation all over my
neck. It was hard for me to walk and all I wanted to do was throw up,” he
bared.
With his teammates, friends and family by his
side, Singtongnoi persevered through all the bleak thoughts and negative
feelings with every fiber of his being. Receiving the best
treatment possible, it all paid off months later when the doctor told him that
he is cancer-free.
“I was ecstatic,” he recollected. “I could once
again see a bright future for myself and my family.”
Through
this battle against cancer, Singtongnoi learned that life is valuable and
should not be taken for granted.
“It’s important to love yourself and take care of your loved ones, as you don’t know when you’ll die,” he mused.
After overcoming the life-threatening illness,
Muay Thai was out of the question going forward for Singtongnoi. However,
he valued his second shot at life, awakening his willpower to not only make a
full physical recovery but to get back to the sport that he loved.
On May 18, 2018, Singtongnoi will return to
action as part of ONE Super Series, ONE Championship’s global platform that
provides the world’s best martial artists to showcase and celebrate the beauty
of Asia’s striking arts. The 37-year-old Thai kickboxer is slated to square off with
Italian dynamo Joseph Lasiri on the undercard of ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS, which
takes place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Singtongnoi received an opportunity to showcase
his incredible skills to the largest audience he has ever performed for. According
to him, to become a true martial artist, he believes that he must continue
fighting for the people he loves.
“I believe a great martial artist is someone who knows his responsibilities – someone who is disciplined, and can stick to a schedule and work hard,” he stressed.
“Throughout my career, it has always been my
family that drove me and inspired me. They still do. Doing my best to give them
a bright future is what has motivated me from the start,” Singtongnoi added.
For Singtongnoi, he does not need any more
motivation to capture a victory because all he has to do is reflect on his
rough experience nearly two years ago and think about his beloved family back
home.
“I will fight for my future the best way I know how and come 18th of May in Singapore, I will take on a talented competitor and win,” he guaranteed.
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