Could Nongam follow in Stamp’s footsteps?
Nongam Fairtex trains alongside one of the world’s most recognizable mixed martial artists in Stamp Fairtex, but she now hopes to join the Thai megastar in ONE Championship.
The 29-year-old is aiming for her fifth-straight win and a contract to ONE when she faces Tsz Ching Phoebe Lo in a 110-pound catchweight Muay Thai contest at ONE Lumpinee 62.
The action goes down in Bangkok on May 10 inside the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and airs live on Thailand's Channel 7 HD at 19.30.
After the disappointment of coming up short in the Road to ONE: Thailand tournament in 2022, Nongam made an impact since debuting at ONE Lumpinee last year.
The former amateur boxer showed off her heavy hands in her first two fights, during which she dispatched both Chu Nga Sze and Lisa Brierly with punches inside the distance.
The latter victory netted the Thai knockout artist a B350,000 performance bonus.
She has since claimed decision wins over Francisca Vera and Phetchumpair Highland Gym to extend her win streak to four.
Fighters have been awarded B3.5 million contracts to ONE Championship for less than four wins at ONE Lumpinee, so Nongam could be forgiven for feeling as though she is knocking on the door of a berth on the global stage.
Hong Kong’s Lo will bring a kick-heavy arsenal to the ring on May 10, creating an intriguing clash of styles as Nongam searches for the decisive victory needed to turn the heads of ONE brass.
If successful, she would join a long line of representatives strutting their stuff in the ONE ring from the talent-laden Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand.
Chief among them is ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion Stamp, who has secured global fame as the first athlete in history to win world titles in three separate sports.
Stamp won both the ONE atomweight kickboxing and Muay Thai world titles within 12 months of making her promotional bow in 2018.
Her teammate’s glittering run serves as inspiration as Nongam eyes her own “rags to riches” story.
The 29-year-old's father is a farmer in her native Lampang province, while her mother sells lottery tickets to make ends meet.
Despite holding a bachelor’s degree in physical education, Nongam has remained dedicated to her fighting career, which has yielded an impressive professional record of 47-5-2 and a Thailand championship.
It could all pay off if she gets the job done emphatically at ONE Lumpinee 62.
