With over 200 professional fights, a reputation as one of the most feared pound-for-pound female strikers on the planet, Phetjeeja still gets nervous.
The ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion opens up about the pressure that comes with the territory as she prepares to challenge Allycia Hellen Rodrigues for the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title at The Inner Circle 19 on Friday, June 19, streaming live on live.onefc.com.
"The Queen" carries a staggering 210-6 career record and a perfect 8-0 ONE slate into the biggest fight of her career. The 24-year-old Thai superstar, who earned the nickname "The Girl Who Could Defeat Boys" after fighting and defeating male opponents in her early career, has been in almost every situation combat sports can throw at a fighter.
But stepping into the ring against Rodrigues with a second World Title on the line brings a weight that even 200-plus fights cannot fully prepare you for.
"To be completely honest with you, there isn't a single fight where I don't get nervous. A lot of people probably assume that since I've had over 200 fights, I'm just totally numb to it by now," she said.
For Phetjeeja, the nerves have not faded with experience. If anything, the stakes attached to each fight inside ONE have only amplified the feeling. The key, she has learned, is not eliminating the nerves but learning to live with them.
"Especially lately, the nerves are there for every fight. There's no escaping it; it's just a matter of figuring out how to manage those nerves and calm yourself down," she explained.
A fighter who lets the pressure get inside her head before the bell rings has already lost half the battle, and "The Queen" has seen enough fights to know exactly how that plays out.
"If you let the nerves take over and start overthinking, you're going to freeze up when the bell rings," she added.
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