Rodtang Jitmaungnon has risen to superstardom with an unrelenting style that saw him capture the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship while entertaining the masses.
Now, on Sunday, March 23, the former divisional king in “The Iron Man” has his biggest fight to date.
He battles Takeru Segawa in their long-awaited flyweight kickboxing super-fight in Japan at ONE 172.
But Rodtang’s road to this moment was not paved with yellow bricks. The Thai star grew up in a poor family, collecting scrap metal to make ends meet while trying to use his physical gifts in athletics.
“I made some money from playing football. But it wasn’t much. I collected some scrap metal for recycling. Then, a friend mentioned I should try boxing,” Rodtang said.
“I figured it would be a good way to make money at the time. I figured it’d be a good solution to let me have a better life.”
His entry into combat sports paid off, but not because he was a natural at the technical aspects of the game. Rodtang called his style “brainless” and only looked at collecting checks.
With hard work, the technique came. Along with his continuing pressure, it made him one of the sport’s biggest stars, but it was his positive outlook that allowed him to ascend to new heights.
“As a kid, I didn’t have a dream, really. Looking at my living condition back then, I had no idea what to dream of. I just dreamed of having enough to eat each day,” Rodtang said.
“I now understand that no one should think negatively. Don’t tell yourself you can’t be better. If you choose a better path for yourself, you will be successful.”
His unlikely story continues at ONE 172.
After years of waiting for his shot at “Natural Born Krusher,” Rodtang is ready to put on a show for his fans.
“I think everyone is sick of just the face-offs and the talk. We all need to see the fight, the strikes, and how we perform on the 23rd,” Rodtang said.
“It’s going to be one hell of a fight that no one should ever miss.”
ONE 172: Rodtang vs. Takeru airs live on Sunday, March 23, from Japan on global pay-per-view via watch.onefc.com.
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