The road to the pinnacle often begins with a plummet into the valley of defeat. Former ONE World Title challenger Numsurin Chor Ketwina knows that reality well, and now he is climbing back toward the summit.
On Friday, October 30, the Thai veteran takes his next step back toward the top when he meets three-time ISKA Kickboxing World Champion Akram “La Pepite” Hamidi in the atomweight Muay Thai main event of The Inner Circle 36 live from Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium for members at live.onefc.com.
Numsurin’s rise came largely under the radar. Six straight wins on the weekly series secured him a six-figure contract, and he has justified every cent of it.
Then, he dared to be great. As the underdog, he took pound-for-pound standout and now ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka Yoshinari the full five rounds for the inaugural crown at ONE 173 in Tokyo last November, falling just short on the scorecards.
His bid to bounce back hit an unexpected snag when a decision loss to Pet Suanluangrodyok at The Inner Circle 7 made it two straight defeats.
With his title hopes on the line, Numsurin ran it back this past June against fellow former World Title challenger Songchainoi Kiatsongrit at The Inner Circle 20.
Reflecting on that pivotal stretch, Numsurin told onefc.com:
“When I lost those two fights in a row, I wasn’t happy with my performance at all. I kept reminding myself that I had to keep moving forward.
“The outcome of part two went exactly as expected. I was completely confident that I could take him out easily. I’ve never been bothered by heavy punchers. If an opponent only relies on their hands, I’m ready to trade anytime.”
Having now bested Songchainoi twice, the Sisaket Province native turns his attention to a very different challenge in Hamidi, who is fresh off a rally to hand Watcharaphon Laochokcharoen his first promotional defeat at ONE Friday Fights 164 this past July.
Still, Numsurin is leaving nothing to chance, returning to camp a day after his last win and bringing in sparring partners chosen to mirror Hamidi’s style.
The atomweight added:
“Akram stays busy and throws non-stop volume, plus he has a long reach that makes him tricky to handle. But once opponents figure him out, you start to see his flaws, especially in the clinch and his gas tank, which isn’t quite there.
“I believe my boxing is sharper. I throw better combinations and hit with higher precision. I’ll press forward from the opening bell and stay right in his face the entire time. I’ll definitely be looking for an early finish, because if I let it go to a decision, he might point-fight his way to a win with his volume.”
For his part, Hamidi is dropping to a new weight class in search of a fresh start. The Strasbourg-born striker hopes to use this main event spotlight to cut the line for a shot at 26 pounds of gold.
Numsurin, however, is determined to make sure that leap does not come at his expense.
The TDed99 representative said:
“My sole objective for this fight is to get the win, period. I know I’m considered a bit of an underdog here because Akram has fought top-tier guys. He fought Sam-A [Gaiyanghadao], beat Kongchai [Chanaidonmueang], and had a really close kickboxing fight with Prajanchai [Pongsuphan PK].
“But with him cutting down to atomweight, it actually gives me a lot more confidence. I’ve been fighting at this weight all along, so I’m completely dialed in and confident I’ll put on a great performance.”
Numsurin Refuses To Let Go Of His ONE World Title Dreams
Numsurin Chor Ketwina has walked through fire to reach this level. The climb from ONE Friday Fights to marquee bouts has rarely been kind.
Each setback along the way has shaped him. The warrior who returns this week is a far cry from the one who first arrived.
He said:
“This fight marks my 10th appearance in ONE, and my style has evolved a lot compared to the early days. I fight with a much higher fight IQ now. Back then, I tried too hard to force the knockout, which made my style sloppy and led to a lot of injuries.
“Now, I fight much smarter and tighter without taking unnecessary risks, which comes from all the lessons I’ve learned inside the ring.”
With Nadaka tightening his grip on the throne via a head kick knockout of Rifdean “Magic Boy” Masdor at ONE SAMURAI 4 earlier this month, the line of contenders keeps growing.
At 31, Numsurin knows the window will not stay open forever. Every outing now carries the full weight of his title ambitions.
He said:
“Getting a winning streak going is crucial for me right now because my ultimate goal is to earn a rematch with Nadaka. I told myself not to make any careless mistakes, and I am 100 percent sure I will get the win over Akram.
“I have to treat every fight like a must-win to build momentum. Giving up has never crossed my mind. I truly believe that one day I’ll get another shot at that belt.”
