The national competition coincides with IFMA’s growing involvement in international school sport. Its collaboration with the International School Sport Federation -ISF- led to the inaugural Muaythai School World Championships in June and created another pathway for introducing the discipline to young people from different countries and age groups. The Turkish championship and the school sport project operate at different levels, but both focus on athlete development, equal opportunities for boys and girls and the transmission of Muaythai’s cultural values.

Türkiye combines national selection, equality and technology

The Turkish championship progressed through elimination rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals delivered to international standards. It also introduced an advanced digital system providing real-time scores, timing and information for every bout. “Building a transparent, traceable and technology-driven system is essential for the future of our sport. That is why we continue to invest in education and strong infrastructure at every level of development,” explained Hasan Yıldız, president of the Turkish Muaythai and Jujitsu Federation.

The federation is officially recognised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Turkish National Olympic Committee, whose representatives attended the championship alongside regional and local authorities. Lennert Swart, chair of the IFMA Athletes’ Commission, highlighted the investment in grassroots development: “Great champions are built through strong grassroots programmes. Türkiye continues to set an excellent example by investing in young athletes, promoting gender equality and creating opportunities for the next generation.” The competition also honoured Hayri Doğan Hozanlı, whose contribution to the development of Turkish Muaythai gives the tournament its name.

The School World Championships connect five continents

The second part of this youth development strategy took place from 18 to 21 June in Kuala Lumpur. The inaugural Muaythai School World Championships, organised through the cooperation between IFMA and ISF, brought together 1,480 athletes from five continents. Participants as young as six competed in age groups ranging from under-8 to under-18 across combat, Wai Kru and Mai Muay. The inclusion of the latter two disciplines presented Muaythai both as a competitive sport and as a cultural tradition centred on respect and education.

One of the championship’s main ceremonies honoured Željko Tanasković, president of ISF. Young athletes from different countries performed the Wai Kru before him, following the ritual through which practitioners show respect for their teachers and tradition. Grand Master Ajahn Sawaeng then presented him with the official golden Mongkon —the ceremonial headband worn by athletes before competing— and an IFMA medal. The gesture symbolically welcomed him as an honorary member of the international Muaythai family and represented the relationship established between the two federations.

From school sport to the Youth World Championships in Olympia

The partnership brings Muaythai into the international school sport calendar and gives participants in the early stages of their development an opportunity to gain international experience. Alongside the bouts, the School World Championships included cultural activities and opportunities for delegations to interact. Türkiye’s national structure provides another stage of that pathway through official competitions, athlete selection, coach education and technological systems that allow every result to be tracked.

The next international objective will be the IFMA Youth World Championships, which will take place in Olympia from 6 to 16 November. Türkiye will select its team following the national championship in July, while IFMA will arrive in Greece after expanding its presence within school sport. Together, the two initiatives create a pathway that begins with participation and education, continues through national championships and gradually gives young athletes access to competition on the world stage.

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The contest brought together two athletes with strong international records. Burgos arrived with several IFMA World Championships titles, a gold medal at The World Games, the WMC Pan American Championship, a medal at the World Combat Games and recognition as a finalist for the World Games Athlete of the Year Award. Opposite her was Parunai, champion of Thailand and a member of the Thai national team, who moved up in weight to challenge for one of the most important titles on the professional circuit.

A champion with international pedigree

The evening began with the traditional Wai Kru, accompanied by a live Pi Muay orchestra from Thailand, in a ceremony that underlined the cultural dimension of Muaythai. Before the fight, respect, humility, honour and gratitude took centre stage as part of a tradition the sport preserves on its major international stages. In the ring, the unanimous decision confirmed Laura Burgos’ victory and made her the new WMC world champion.

Burgos’ title also strengthened the place of women’s Muaythai at the international elite level. For more than three decades, IFMA and the WMC have defended the vision of One World, One Muaythai, an idea that has accompanied the sport’s growth through equality, inclusion and opportunity. Within that framework, women have competed on the biggest stages under the same rules, with the same respect and with recognition equivalent to their male counterparts. The event also brought together international figures such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Mike Zambidis and Dauren Kurugliev, alongside representatives of the international sporting community, in an evening that combined high performance, tradition and global growth.

Greece and the international growth of Muaythai

Ioannis Papadopoulos described the event as another important step for the sport and highlighted Greece’s growing reputation as a host of major international Muaythai competitions. He also underlined the development of the discipline, its commitment to equality and inclusion, and the country’s readiness to stage new international championships in the coming years.

Dr. Sakchye Tapsuwan congratulated Burgos on her victory and praised both athletes for showing Muaythai at the highest level, with excellence, respect, friendship and fair play. Stephan Fox presented Burgos with the WMC World Championship belt, recognising a performance that placed both competitors at the level of the title’s prestige.

Malaysia 2026 and IFMA’s global dimension

The international context of Muaythai was also reinforced by the finals of the IFMA Senior World Championships Malaysia 2026. The competition brought together athletes from every continent and showed the sport’s growing universality, with representatives from all five regions among the top 20 nations and 48 National Federations returning home with medals. Broadcast coverage through Olympic Channel also expanded the global visibility of the championships.

Malaysia 2026 was also the first official IFMA World Ranking event of 2026, with qualification points available on the road to the World Combat Games 2027. The competition featured Team Russia under its national flag and colours, alongside leading Muaythai nations such as Ukraine, Türkiye, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Iran, Australia and Malaysia. IFMA, recognised by the International Olympic Committee -IOC-, presented the championships as another milestone on Muaythai’s Olympic journey and in the consolidation of a sport built on integrity, equality, cultural heritage and respect.

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The agenda also reflects muaythai’s double dimension as a combat sport and part of Thailand’s cultural heritage. International masterclasses bring the discipline closer to practitioners at different levels, while the university championship integrates muaythai into a space where sport coexists with education, leadership and exchange among young athletes from around the world.

Buakaw, a legend for an open masterclass in Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main will be the next stop on the international muaythai masterclass circuit on 21 June 2026. The session will take place at Fabriksporthalle Fechenheim, from 10:00 to 12:00, will be free of charge, open to people aged 18 and over, and will have limited places. The event follows previous experiences held in Riyadh, Shanghai, Tokyo, Marrakesh and Saigon.

The main attraction will be Buakaw, one of the most recognisable figures in recent muaythai history and one of its most influential international ambassadors. The activity will be open to very different profiles, from beginners to professional competitors, coaches and champions. More than a technical session, the event is presented as an opportunity to approach the Art of Eight Limbs through the experience of an athlete who has helped raise the global recognition of the discipline.

Japan brings together more than 1,000 participants

The Japan stop produced one of the strongest images from this series of activities. The Muaythai Masterclass, organised by the Royal Thai Government and the Sports Authority of Thailand as part of a sports tourism promotion line, brought together more than 1,000 participants and became one of the largest international muaythai workshops held to date. The event gathered masters, athletes and icons from Thailand and Japan in a day centred on sport, culture, education and friendship. Alongside Buakaw, Thai figures such as Rittewada and Phayahong took part, as well as Japanese combat sports names including Kota Miura and Nadaka Yoshinari, who shared their experience with practitioners at different levels.

The activity was opened by HSH Prince Nawaphansa Yugala, Chair of the IFMA Advisory Board, and Gongsak Yodmani, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand. It also welcomed representatives of the Japanese Government, the international sporting movement and the country’s combat sports community. Stephan Fox, Chair of the SportAccord Combat Sports Council, highlighted Japan’s role in the international development and promotion of muaythai.

Brasilia opens the university pathway for muaythai

The third focus is in Brasilia, where the 2026 FISU World University Championship Combat Sports begins on 8 June. The championship will bring together more than 1,500 participants and will feature five combat sports: Jujitsu, Karate, Wrestling, Wushu and muaythai. The event is organised by the Brazilian University Sports Confederation -CBDU- in collaboration with the International University Sports Federation -FISU-.

FISU President Leonz Eder underlined the role of young athletes by saying that, “despite the challenging times we are all facing, athletes remind us of the special power of young people and reassure us that a better world is possible”. IFMA President Sakchye Tapsuwan also linked the championship to a broader vision of university sport: “It represents far more than competition. It is where education, sport, leadership, and personal development come together”.

Tapsuwan also thanked the work of FISU, CBDU and the local organising committee, and wished safe travels to athletes, coaches, officials and delegations. Between Frankfurt, Japan and Brasilia, muaythai is showing three complementary forms of international presence: direct transmission from a legend, the mass response of a community of practitioners and the university space as a platform for a new generation of athletes.

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The three developments reflect different dimensions of muaythai’s international growth: the consolidation of major open events, the management of participation within the global sports system and work with young athletes in the country where the discipline has its deepest cultural and sporting roots. The week brought together competition, governance decisions and grassroots programmes under a shared framework of values: respect, discipline, inclusion, unity and excellence.

Abu Dhabi brings together more than 600 athletes

The UAE Muaythai Open Championships concluded at the Mubadala Arena, in Zayed Sports City, with more than 600 athletes, 75 clubs and participants from 12 countries. The tournament was organised by the UAE Muaythai Federation, the federation recognised by the country’s Olympic committee and sports council, and was officially sanctioned by IFMA and the Federation of Asian Muaythai Associations -FAMA-, within the growing role of the United Arab Emirates on the discipline’s international calendar.

The competition also included an athlete welfare and safety component, with medical checks, healthcare teams and referees acting as guardians of protection inside the ring. The closing ceremony was attended by Abdullah Saeed Al Neyadi, vice-president of IFMA and president of the Asian, Arab and Emirati muaythai and kickboxing federations, and Bolbongse Vangphaen, ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the UAE, in a day presented as a sporting, cultural and national celebration.

IFMA completes the reintegration of Russia and Belarus

The second focus came from international governance. IFMA confirmed that athletes from Russia and Belarus are now fully authorised to return to international muaythai competition under their national flags, symbols and anthems across all categories and age groups. The measure will apply at IFMA-sanctioned events, including youth, junior, under-23 and senior championships, always under its competition rules, integrity standards, safeguarding policies and anti-doping regulations.

The president of IFMA, Sakchye Tapsuwan, defended the decision through the values of inclusion and unity in muaythai. “Muaythai is built upon the values of respect, honour, tradition, and unity,” he said. He recalled that Russian and Belarusian athletes had continued to participate in IFMA events under neutral status and stressed that “children and young athletes should never carry the burden of political conflict”. According to Tapsuwan, the decision reflects “the spirit of unity through sport” and the intention that athletes can compete “with dignity and respect”.

Thailand projects the future through its Youth Games

The third axis was in Thailand, where the 41st National Youth Games brought together thousands of young athletes from the country’s 77 provinces across more than 45 sports from 7 to 17 May. Muaythai was one of the standout disciplines on the programme, with competitions held under IFMA rules and safety standards recognised by the Olympic movement, in an event that again placed youth development at the centre of Thai sport.

The event served as a platform for young talents aspiring to represent Thailand internationally, in a year that includes events such as the School Games in Malaysia and the IFMA Youth World Championships in Greece. The Surat Thani Games therefore reinforced the continuity between grassroots development, sporting culture and high performance, while Abu Dhabi and IFMA’s decision completed a week shaped by three complementary dimensions for muaythai: major events, international reintegration and the development of future generations.

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His relevance comes from a career built over more than 25 years. A multiple-time World Muaythai Council -WMC- world champion, gold medallist of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations -IFMA- and one of the youngest WMC champions in history, Buakaw reached international prominence as a K-1 World MAX champion. His legacy, however, is no longer explained only by titles, but by his ability to connect competition, culture, education and international projection.

A legend who continues to compete and teach

Buakaw’s sporting relevance remains an essential part of his authority. In 2024, in Japan, before returning to compete in K-1, he summed up his mindset with a direct statement: “I’m still here, and I’m ready”. That continuity in the ring supports his status as an intergenerational reference: for young fighters, he is a figure who still competes; for sports bodies, a recognisable face; and for Muaythai, proof that tradition can engage with new global formats.

His current role goes far beyond combat. As an official ambassador of IFMA and WMC, Buakaw represents the international Muaythai family and also Thailand within the Olympic movement. He has taken part in activities, exhibitions and masterclasses in places such as Paris, Saudi Arabia, Birmingham, Shanghai and Osaka, in cooperation with IFMA, WMC, the Thai Government, national federations and the wider international sports movement. In those sessions, he transmits not only technique, but also values, discipline, respect and the cultural dimension of Muaythai.

Muaythai, Thai culture and soft power

Buakaw’s figure also belongs within Thailand’s strategy to project Muaythai as cultural heritage and a tool of soft power. The Thai Government has promoted the nomination of Muay Thai: Thai Traditional Boxing for inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, alongside Chud Thai, the Thai national costume. The proposal underlines that Muaythai is not only a combat discipline, but a practice rooted in rituals, generational transmission, respect for teachers, community and national identity.

That cultural dimension is reflected in elements such as the wai kru, the ceremony of respect to teachers performed by fighters before a bout. In 2023, Thailand achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest wai kru muay Thai dance, with 3,660 participants in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The gesture symbolises one of the discipline’s defining features: Muaythai is not limited to physical exchange, but preserves a structure of gratitude, memory and belonging that sets it apart from other combat sports.

A warrior in the ring, a teacher beyond it

Buakaw’s status as a cultural symbol has also been reinforced by academic and institutional projects. The project Commanding Fists: Reviving Muay Thai History on the World Stage, developed with the support of Chulalongkorn University and the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness -PMUC-, placed the champion at the centre of the documentary Muay Thai: Power & Spirit. Professor Sunet Chutinatharanon, who led the project, described Buakaw as “a living soft power”, an expression that captures his role as a bridge between sport, culture, tourism, education and international promotion.

Buakaw himself has defended that being a fighter requires discipline, responsibility and an understanding of effort. In that journey, combat is not reduced to winning or losing, but builds a personal story and an inner strength. That is why his current role has a formative dimension: Buakaw does not only teach strikes, but also respect, control, gratitude, cultural belonging and a way of life linked to Muaythai.

The unity between IFMA and WMC, under standards of international recognition, sporting integrity and compliance with the frameworks of the International Olympic Committee -IOC- and the World Anti-Doping Agency -WADA-, has turned Muaythai into a discipline with an increasingly consolidated global structure. Buakaw represents that transition: a warrior in the ring, a teacher beyond it and the symbol of a sport seeking to grow worldwide without losing its Thai roots.

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The PMF, an official member of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations -IFMA- and recognised by the Ministry of Sport of Greece and the National Olympic Committee, staged this edition in a year of particular relevance for Greek muaythai. The country has also been awarded the IFMA Youth World Championships, which will bring delegations from more than 100 countries to ancient Olympia.

Greece defines its international muaythai pathway

The National Championship served as a reference process to define Greek representation at upcoming international events. Athletes competed under IFMA rules and across different age categories, with Combat, Wai Kru & Mae Muay, Para and Special divisions, within a programme focused on the competitive, technical and cultural development of the discipline.

The national champions now have the objective of representing Greece at the IFMA Youth World Championships, while other qualifiers will continue their international pathway towards the IFMA Senior World Championships in Malaysia and the All-Inclusive Championships in Kosovo. The federation positioned the championship as a gateway to the global IFMA calendar and to the development process of muaythai within the recognised sports ecosystem.

Olympic values and the tradition of muaythai

PMF president Ioannis Papadopoulos linked the championship to Greece’s historic role in international sport. “Greece is important to Olympic values because it is where they were born. At Olympia, the ancient Games introduced peace, excellence, respect, and unity, values that still guide sport today. Revived in Athens in 1896, they became the foundation of the modern Olympic Movement. Greece did not just start the Olympics, it gave sport its values,” he said.

IFMA president Dr. Sakchye Tapsuwan also underlined the institutional dimension of the event and the relationship between Olympic recognition and the cultural tradition of muaythai. “This is why we are proud to be recognised by the International Olympic Committee -IOC-. Greece is a strong and important member of IFMA, where the ancient Olympic values and the traditions of muaythai merge into one built on respect, culture, and excellence,” he said.

A national event with international projection

The chair of the IFMA Athletes’ Commission, Lennert Swart, highlighted the symbolic value of competing in Greece for athletes. “For athletes, competing in Greece is a true honour. At Olympia, they stand where it all began. They are not just competing, they are part of a legacy, living the true spirit of the Olympics,” he said.

The competition in Athens brought together clubs from across Greece during the weekend and served as a step towards an international cycle whose main reference points will include the IFMA Youth World Championships in ancient Olympia, the Senior World Championships in Malaysia and the All-Inclusive Championships in Kosovo.

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The event took place at one of Muaythai’s most symbolic venues. Rajadamnern officially opened in 1945 and presents itself as the first stadium in the world built for the sport, as well as one of the arenas that helped shape its modern identity, traditions and professional competitive system. That historical weight turned the evening into more than another event on the calendar: it reflected the link between Thai tradition and Muaythai’s international expansion.

Rajadamnern Stadium and Muaythai’s Olympic dimension

The night was held within the cooperation framework between the World Muaythai Council -WMC-, under royal patronage, the International Federation of Muaythai Associations -IFMA- and the Rajadamnern World Series -RWS-. That structure connects professional competition with internationally recognised pathways in a discipline that received full recognition from the International Olympic Committee -IOC- in 2021 through IFMA.

The organisers presented the event as an expression of the values of excellence, respect and friendship, together with key areas for international sports recognition: governance, global reach, gender equality, youth development and integrity. IFMA includes among its strategic priorities equal participation for men and women at the highest level, adherence to the anti-doping framework and the consolidation of Muaythai as a sport with a presence in recognised international competitions.

Daniel Rodriguez and Dam lead an international card

In the main event, Daniel Rodriguez, Rajadamnern Stadium world champion and representative of Switzerland, defeated Thai fighter Hercules with a dominant performance. The result kept Rodriguez among the international references on the circuit and closed a card designed to showcase the competitive level of professional Muaythai in one of its historic venues.

Another focus was the RWS world title bout between Chadd Collins, WMC world champion and representative of Australia, and Thai fighter Dam. The contest was decided on points after five rounds, with Dam winning an even and technically high-level fight. The preview had already positioned the match-up as one of the main references of the night, both because of Collins’ record and the sporting relevance of competing for a title at Rajadamnern.

Miki Ghazali, Paulo D’Antoni and Dmitry Changelia strengthen the international field

The presence of international athletes also shaped the rest of the evening. Miki Ghazali, Southeast Asian Games -SEA Games- champion and one of Malaysia’s emerging figures, defeated Aekmongkol, while his brother Elias Ghazali produced a close contest against Thai fighter Superchub, decided on points. On the undercard, Italian fighter Paulo D’Antoni beat Peemai in one of the most dynamic bouts of the night.

Dmitry Changelia, presented in the preview as an AIN athlete and 2025 IFMA European champion, defeated Thai fighter Nuasingha and added another international victory to a night in which four of the six bouts ended with wins for non-Thai athletes. The figure closed an event presented by RWS, WMC and IFMA as a demonstration of Muaythai’s competitive universality and its growth under common structures linking the federative sphere and the professional circuit.

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The two events also shared another important feature within the recent muaythai calendar: both helped shape the teams that will compete at the upcoming IFMA World Championships and, in the Australian case, also at the youth world championship. From there, each event carried a different emphasis. Algeria placed the weight on territorial reach, national symbolism and a cultural connection with muaythai. Australia staged a championship with strong competitive depth, the inclusion of special and para athletes, the presence of cultural disciplines, and a broad response both in attendance and in digital engagement.

Algeria and a distinctive cultural presentation

The Algerian Muaythai Federation concluded its national championship in Blida after four days of competition involving male and female athletes from every region of the country. The federation itself presented the event as the official qualification tournament for Algeria’s senior and youth national teams ahead of the upcoming IFMA World Championships, and underlined that the finals offered an image of competitive depth and nationwide representation. The event placed Algeria among the African nations with the strongest current development in muaythai.

The Wai Kru ceremonies were combined with elements of Algerian heritage in an approach designed to connect national identity with the traditional codes of the sport. The federation explicitly presented that fusion as a way of foregrounding shared values such as respect, honour and unity. Alongside that, the championship included a cultural seminar aimed at broadening understanding of muaythai traditions and their international significance.

The event also included anti-doping education aligned with WADA. That element sat alongside institutional recognition from the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports, two forms of support that the federation highlighted as part of the growth of muaythai in the country. Federation president Abbas El-Sayed thanked athletes, coaches, referees, officials and organisers at the close of the event, and linked the progress of Algerian muaythai to internal unity, institutional backing and alignment with IFMA while preserving national identity.

Australia, a broad and inclusive championship

The Australian national championship was held in Melbourne as the conclusion of a preliminary qualification system staged across the country’s six states. That pathway produced close to 400 athletes for the national finals, where nearly 300 bouts were contested. It was also recalled that Muaythai Australia, founded in 1995, is the only national federation recognised under IFMA and aligned with the Olympic movement.

The organisation welcomed special and para athletes and also incorporated the cultural disciplines of Wai Kru and Mae Muay, a combination that reinforced the idea of muaythai both as a competitive sport and as cultural heritage. In its own official communication, the federation stressed that this structure helped project a view of muaythai based not only on performance, but also on tradition, inclusion and unity within a single national organisation.

Beyond the field of play, the federation reported more than 900,000 social media views in one week and more than 1,200 spectators across the event. Alongside that, Muaythai Australia president Nick Atkins thanked Muaythai Victoria, as well as coaches, clubs, gyms, referees, officials, medical teams, volunteers and fans. The statement added that the newly crowned champions will represent Australia at the upcoming IFMA World Championships and IFMA Youth World Championships.

Play True Day, a global message of clean sport

That context of national-level activity coincided with Play True Day, the initiative led by the World Anti-Doping Agency -WADA-, held on 17 April and built in 2026 around the theme “Play True: It Starts with You.” When presenting this year’s edition, the agency stressed that athlete health, fair competition and integrity are at the heart of clean sport, and that responsibility does not rest with one institution alone, but with the entire sporting community.

In parallel, IFMA activated its own celebration through a Kick Challenge involving athletes from every continent alongside the Athletes’ Commission chaired by Lennert Swart. The action included clean sport questions, prizes and recognition for participants, as well as the involvement of Mongkon Academy and former world champion and United Through Sports president Stephan Fox. IFMA sport director, clean sport education ambassador for the International Testing Agency -ITA- and former world champion Janice Lyn summarised that message by saying: “Clean sport is not just a rule, it is a responsibility we all share.”

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The occasion revolves around the figure of Nai Khanom Tom, whose name is directly tied to 17 March in the history and symbolism of the sport. Muaythai documentation presents that date as the day dedicated to his memory and as one of the discipline’s main occasions of tribute, with the presence of high-ranking practitioners, a central Wai Kru ceremony and a gathering that, in different editions, has brought together participants from several countries.

Who Nai Khanom Tom was and why his figure endures

According to the tradition reflected in accounts of the origin of this commemoration, Nai Khanom Tom was taken prisoner by the Burmese after the fall of the Ayutthaya kingdom in 1774. In that context, his name became linked to a bout held before the Burmese king in which he was chosen to face rival fighters and, in the most widely repeated version, defeated ten opponents, an episode that eventually turned him into one of Muaythai’s great historical figures.

Accounts that revisit his story describe him as a Siamese warrior associated with courage, endurance and the defence of the Thai fighting art. They also place him as a deeply rooted figure in the country’s culture, to the point that his name appears repeatedly in Muaythai publications and in popular stories about heroes and warriors connected to the protection of the kingdom and its traditions.

Ayutthaya and the Wai Kru at the heart of the celebration

The commemoration is regularly held in Ayutthaya, a place that in these narratives is tied both to the life of Nai Khanom Tom and to the roots of Muaythai. The city hosts a programme that includes activities throughout the day, exhibitions and bouts, along with a setting closely linked to the historical weight of the old Siamese kingdom in the memory of the sport.

One of the day’s central elements is the Wai Kru ceremony, a ritual of respect for teachers, ancestors and the Muaythai lineage. The event’s own explanation underlines that “wai” means to show respect and “kru” means teacher, so this part of the celebration serves as a public expression of gratitude towards those who passed down the knowledge of combat and towards the tradition from which it comes.

A day with international reach within Muaythai

Event material also shows that Nai Khanom Tom Day has gradually taken on an international dimension with the presence of thousands of practitioners and fans arriving from different countries. Several recent descriptions refer to a global gathering of fighters in Ayutthaya, with the participation of foreign athletes, Thai champions and representatives from the federation structure linked to IFMA, creating a picture that brings together ceremony, sporting practice and contact between communities from different backgrounds.

That outward reach exists alongside its domestic importance within Thailand, where 17 March appears as the more popular of the two dates associated with National Muay Thai Day. It is also referred to by other names, including Nai Khanom Tom Day, National Muay Boran Day, National Thai Boxing Day and Boxer’s Day, and several references note that on that night stadiums across the country dedicate fights to the memory of Nai Khanom Tom and to the legacy of the so-called ‘art of eight limbs’.

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His sporting story had been defined from the beginning by constant adaptation. Morgan was born in New Zealand with a congenital condition affecting his left leg, with only three toes and part of the bone missing. Before his first birthday, his parents made the decision to amputate the limb to allow him to use a prosthetic leg and develop with greater balance and stability. Rather than becoming a structural limitation, the change became part of his daily life. “I couldn’t balance on my original leg, so I got a prosthetic and started walking straight away. Honestly, it hasn’t made anything harder for me. It’s just normal,” he recalled.

Discovering the sport that redefined his life

The turning point came at the age of nine, when he discovered Muaythai, a discipline that would redefine both his personal and sporting identity. “The first time I tried Muaythai changed my life. I loved the feeling of being able to fight. Once I put the gloves on, there was no turning back,” he said. His first experiences took place in New Zealand, but he soon travelled to Phuket, Thailand, one of the global epicentres of the sport. There, he found an environment that went beyond physical training and became a defining reference point. “The first time I trained Muaythai, I fell in love instantly. My gym is basically my home. When I walked in, I felt like I belonged there.”

Before focusing fully on Muaythai, he also practised Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at The Fight Shop NZ, where coaches Stew Chambers and Tasha Chambers played a key role in his sporting and personal development. His technical and family environment helped shape not only his competitive progression but also a mindset oriented toward constant improvement. His mother, Helen Morgan, highlighted his dedication to training and his involvement in the sporting community, where he also helped mentor younger athletes.

Competing without rivals: the structural challenge of para Muaythai

As his career progressed, Morgan encountered a structural obstacle that continues to shape the development of para Muaythai internationally: the lack of competitors in his category. In New Zealand, the limited number of athletes with similar profiles restricted his competitive opportunities, forcing him to face able-bodied opponents or travel overseas to find suitable match-ups. “They see it as a situation they can’t win,” he explained. “They think if they win, they’ve beaten a disabled athlete, and if they lose, it looks bad for them.”

This reality defined his early years as a senior athlete, with limited competitive activity despite his technical progression. However, his determination led him to international competition, including the World Kickboxing Championship in Wales, where he won gold and reinforced his status as one of the few para Muaythai references in his country.

International recognition and his role as a sporting ambassador

His participation in the 2023 World Combat Games marked a decisive institutional milestone. Initially invited as an ambassador, he ultimately took part in a demonstration competition designed to showcase para Muaythai within the international programme. The event included traditional elements such as the wai kru, a ceremonial ritual deeply embedded in the sport’s cultural identity. Morgan earned the bronze medal in a competition created to highlight the potential of adaptive Muaythai within a multi-sport environment bringing together Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines.

During his time in Saudi Arabia, he shared experiences with international delegations, including the Australian team, in an environment that reflected the global expansion of Muaythai as an institutionalised sport. “Being part of that event was significant,” he said, emphasising the importance of competing on a stage that reinforced his role as an international representative of adaptive combat sports.

A trajectory that extends beyond competition

Beyond competitive results, Morgan’s journey reflects progressive integration into the international Muaythai movement. His development has been shaped by international mobility, training in elite environments and participation in structures linked to the International Federation of Muaythai Associations -IFMA-, which promotes inclusion and global expansion of the sport.

Morgan has described his relationship with Muaythai as a process that transformed his life beyond competition. “Before Muaythai, I didn’t have direction. Now I have goals, confidence and the drive to chase my dreams,” he said. His experience has become a reference point within a sport still expanding its institutional and competitive structures, as athletes like him contribute to redefining the boundaries of high-performance sport.

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