‘We Will Help People Achieve Their Dreams’ – Superbon Opens Up On Building Superbon Training Camp
ONE Interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion Superbon has built a solid team at his new gym in Bangkok, which has allowed him to play the role of mentor for the next generation of martial artists in Thailand.
The 34-year-old Thai superstar is currently training for a crucial featherweight Muay Thai clash against “Smokin'” Jo Nattawut at ONE Friday Fights 81 on September 27, but he’s also keeping an eye on the rising talent coming through the ranks at Superbon Training Camp.
When Superbon founded his gym, he had to take on most of the workload himself. But now that it is growing and getting more established, he can observe from the outside and focus on his own battle at Lumpinee Stadium this week.
The current #1-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender is excited by how things are going and he is thrilled with the strides the gym has made since its inception.
He told onefc.com:
“My real role at the gym is almost everything because I’m the one who did it myself from the beginning, from the first day until today. I know what needs to be done in every part of the gym. The only thing I can’t do is housekeeping.
“But these days, I don’t have to do that much because I have a good team to help me, whether it’s the trainers, back-office staff, or the team that makes videos for people to watch and attracts them to come and learn at my gym.
“Right now, I just sit and watch. And I mainly train for myself because I have a good team.”
Although he has a less hands-on approach while he continues his competitive career, Superbon sees a future in helping out the next generation at his Bangkok facility.
Right now though, he’s happy to be the figurehead and inspiration for the students that walk through his doors to train:
“Being a role model is part of it because when you do something and you’re successful and famous, everyone wants to be like you.
“But actually, I have a lot of knowledge in teaching, skills, training, and things like that. I think I have more experience than any other trainers in my gym. So I feel that being a trainer or giving advice and teaching is a good thing that will help our gym develop athletes well in the future.
“I think that we will be a gym that makes people all over the world know about Muay Thai. We will help people achieve their dreams, whether they want to compete once in their life or become a World Champion. We will help push them.”
Superbon Shares His Top Prospects At Superbon Training Camp
Superbon Training Camp only opened in 2023 but already the gym’s athletes are making an impression in the ring.
With a small core group and more looking to join the team all the time, they are building toward being one of the biggest and best Muay Thai gyms in the world.
Superbon’s reputation is a big help in this respect, but if you’re representing his name, he’ll do his best to support you in your career, and especially on fight night.
He explained:
“There are about 5-6 fighters right now. Some fight at Rajadamnern. Most of them fight at ONE Lumpinee. When ONE doesn’t accept a fighter because they don’t have experience, we send them to places where they can gain experience so that they can grow.
“If I’m free, I usually go to corner them because I like to watch fighting. But if I can’t be there because I have other business to do, I’ll have someone else go instead because we have many guys I trust like Trainer Gae, Trainer Jeng, or anyone else who can help me take care of our fighters.”
It takes a long time to build up a stable of elite athletes and Superbon is happy to be patient and allow them to emerge. With support from his old friends at the gym like Nong-O Hama and Petchtanong Petchfergus, the new recruits have all the knowledge they need to reach the top.
The featherweight kickboxing icon has suggested some names he thinks fans should watch closely as they could be set for big things in the future:
“Panrit Lukjaomaesaiwaree has won many fights in a row. If he can win one or two fights in ONE Lumpinee with style, he might be able to sign a ONE contract.
“Phupayak is still young and has room for development. He is only 18, and his form right now may not be so good. Sometimes he loses, sometimes he wins. But I think this kid definitely has a bright future because he is a quick learner. He is also tough and bold.
“Khunsuek Superbon Training Camp is another promising young one. I invited him to the sport the first time I saw him. He has a good body structure, experience, good mind, and attitude, and he learns and remembers things quickly.
“I think Khunsuek now just needs the experience to reach the point where Nong-O or I are because he still lacks experience.”
