Saemapetch Fairtex Went From Extreme Poverty To World Title Glory

Saemapetch Fairtex is the latest Muay Thai Superstar to bring his elite talents to ONE Championship.

He will begin his journey in the promotion with a ONE Super Series Muay Thai bantamweight bout against IMC Muay Thai World Champion Deividas Danyla.

The contest will broadcast live from the Guangzhou Tianhe Gymnasium in China on Saturday, 7 July at ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS.

The representative of the world-renowned Fairtex camp in Pattaya, Thailand, is quite familiar with his foe and believes victory can be his with the right strategy.

“I have seen his bouts. He has good hands, but I have more experience in Muay Thai than him. I have to be smart, and not exchange crazy punches with him,” he explains.

“A win would be great for my debut in ONE. I just hope I can give a good performance for the ONE fans.”

Saemapetch has enjoyed a highly-successful career already, winning the Tiger Cement Tournament Championship at the Channel 7 Stadium, as well as the Muay Thai Grand Prix Welterweight World Championship. His successes have combined to give him a phenomenal 114-16-1 record.

He reached those heights after beginning his life in poverty. Saemapetch was born and raised in Chiang Mai – the largest city in Northern Thailand. Though he and his younger brother helped his family to make money by collecting and recycling bottles and plastics, they still could only make a meagre living.

Though he was a determined pupil, it did not seem likely that he would be able to help their situation through his studies. The only other option was Muay Thai.

“As a child, I was very obedient and very quiet,” he explains. “I was not good in school, but I tried hard.

“As a kid, the only way to make money in our country is to fight. I decided to start training, and I had my first bout at a temple festival.

“I wanted to do this to support my family and provide them with a good life.”

That first contest came when he was just 11 years old, but guided by a coach named Chuvalit in Chiang Mai, he learned everything he needed for a successful start to a life in the ring.

From there, he quickly rose up the ranks, and competed in the famous Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok within three years.

Despite his early success, Saemapetch also had his heart set on serving his country. As a child, he wanted to be a soldier or a police officer.

He fulfilled his dream by enlisting in the Thai military, and even got to continue his martial arts development during his time in uniform.

“I served in the Thai military for two years. I competed in the army’s amateur boxing championships, and I was the tournament winner in 2017 at 63 kilograms,” he says.

The army might provide a stable living for a young man in Thailand, but success in the ring could bring enough wealth to share with the whole family.

That reality took him back to “the art of eight limbs” where his prospects are greater than ever.

Saemapetch has made it to the world’s largest martial arts organization, and he is ready to shoot for the biggest accolade of his life.

He will be well prepared, training out of the renowned Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand, alongside other new ONE Super Series recruits – including the legendary Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex.

“I want to win a ONE World Title and be one of the top fighters in the world,” he says.