Reigning flyweight kickboxing world champion “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 is leaving no stone unturned in preparation for his highly anticipated debut on North American soil.
The Thai superstar is preparing for ONE 168: Denver, where he will move up a weight class to challenge Jonathan “The General” Haggerty for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.
The fight for the world title, scheduled for September 6 at Ball Arena in Denver, is an opportunity for Superlek to rise to the upper echelons of a two-sport title and cement his reputation as one of the best strikers of all time.
With such high stakes, The Kicking Machine knows he will need to be in the best shape of his career against Haggerty, which is why he has enlisted the help of a sports scientist to oversee his strength and conditioning program.
Superlek recently spoke to onefc.com about the new addition – a sports science expert named Hook:
“He joined my team in June. Since then, we have worked closely together. We have spent a lot of time together and worked on individual plans. We are close.”
The Thai’s physical condition will likely play a key role in the upcoming showdown for the world title.
With that in mind, Hook has a difficult task ahead of him. He must ensure Superlek builds enough size and muscle to move up to bantamweight and compete with the hard-hitting Haggerty – but also guarantee he can make weight while staying properly hydrated, per ONE global rules.
In addition, Superlek plans to return to flyweight afterward to defend his kickboxing title, which is why working with Hook is very important:
“I feel more comfortable losing weight. It’s important to have someone on the team you can trust. This is my first time moving up to bantamweight, so he’s been a big help.”
“We did weight training and made sure to increase strength but not too much muscle mass, as I still want to defend my flyweight belt. His knowledge is definitely valuable. I feel prepared and supported in this fight camp.”
Already widely regarded as one of the world’s best pound-for-pound strikers in Muay Thai and kickboxing, Superlek believes the expertise of sports scientists and nutritionists is invaluable to success at the elite level.
He explained:
“Every athlete should work with a nutritionist and a sports scientist. They can help you reach your potential in incredible ways. If you train alone without these two, you may reach a certain level, but with their help, you can take your performance to the next level.”
Superlek’s coach started as a fan
Before Superlek Kiatmoo9 completed Hook’s rigorous strength and conditioning program, the young sports scientist was just another fan of the long-time flyweight kickboxing world champion.
According to “The Kicking Machine,” the two first met at a meet-and-greet in 2023:
“Yes, he was a fan. We met last year and of course he got selfies and autographs. It’s great to have someone on the team who is interested in the sport. I’m glad he joined. I think we are connected by our goals and our passion for Muay Thai.”
These days, Hook is much more than just a fan. He spends a lot of time with the upcoming world title challenger as he prepares for the biggest opportunity of his career against Haggerty.
Superlek joked about their relationship:
“We practically live together at the gym, so he still takes a lot of pictures with me!”
