WATCH: Nong-O Hama corners youth, says "skill can be practiced"

Most kids competing in the sport don’t get a Muay Thai world champion like Nong-O Hama in their corner to give them confidence and guidance. The ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion has been spending time with the youth of Thailand, working as a corner in youth Muay Thai fights.

Take a look at this up-close video of Hama treating this young Thai fighter like a professional world champion:

Nong-O doesn’t seem to care as much about physical or technical stature but instead looks at the drive to win and endure pain as the key characteristics of someone he wants to work with. Here's what he said in the caption of the post (translated to English):

“Just have a full heart. The skill can be practiced.”

These are words that Nong-O has lived by as well, having never tasted defeat in the ONE circle through 10 fights. He’ll display that heart of a champion once again for his 11th fight and 8th defense of his ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world championship on April 21.

He’ll be defending his title against former ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Jonathan Haggerty of England. Haggerty moved up to bantamweight last year and made a successful debut against Vladimir Kuzmin in November.

Hama, on the other hand, started off 2023 with a bang, having successfully defended his world title against Alaverdi Ramazanov at ONE Friday Fights 1 in January. In the fight, the Muay Thai world champion blasted his Russian foe with a body punch in round three.

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Nong-O Hama prepares for Jonathan Haggerty by absorbing a storm of body kicks

For Nong-O Hama, his preparation includes not only training his weapons to deliver damage, but also the damage he can receive.

He recently posted this video of his training to his Instagram account, showing his iron core red with pain against kick after kick.

"Nong-O Hama has a steel core 💯 The bantamweight Muay Thai king defends his throne against British sensation Jonathan Haggerty at ONE Fight Night 9 on April 21! 🏆 @nongogaiyanghadao"

Whatever gruelling training Hama does to prepare for fights, it seems to be working. He’s finished his last five opponents in ONE Championship and struck terror into the heart of the division.

That’s why one of another division’s best, Jonathan Haggerty, is moving up to try and break the epic streak of Nong-O. Haggerty is riding a three-fight win streak of his own, going into the ONE Fight Night 9 on Prime Video main event against Hama, who’s perfect at bantamweight.

ONE Fight Night 9 takes place on April 21 in Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. The entire card streams on Amazon Prime for North American subscribers during US prime time.