RISING Muay Thai star Cruz Saengsourinh-Saunders, is a fighter with a champion’s mindset – hungry for success, yet grounded in humility.
At just 15 years old, he has already etched his name into Queensland’s Muay Thai scene, securing the Queensland Lightweight Championship earlier this month.
His journey to becoming a champion wasn’t always on the cards. In fact, he once had little interest in sports at all.
“When I first came to Australia when I was six, I wasn’t interested in any sport, especially school sports,” he admitted.
That all changed when he discovered Underground Gym and met coach Greg Jenkyn.
From training just twice a week at the age of 12, his passion quickly grew.
Now, he trains six days a week, pushing himself to become the best version of a fighter he can be.
“My coach told me I had a different style, a different technique, and a different mindset from other fighters. That’s when I knew I had to take this seriously,” he said.
With a record of eight fights – five wins, two losses, and one draw – his most significant victory came in his latest bout, where he claimed the Queensland Lightweight Championship in emphatic fashion.
“For a title fight, you usually get six to eight weeks to train, but I only had two weeks,” Saengsourinh-Saunders revealed.
“I don’t know how much my opponent (Felix Clark) trained, but I knew he put in a lot of work.
“We were supposed to fight five two-minute rounds for the title, but I finished it with a technical knockout in just 40 seconds of the first round.”
To further dedicate himself to the sport, he has made the decision to home-school, allowing him to focus on training and competition while keeping up with his education.
Coach Jenkyn believes the young fighter has what it takes to go all the way.
“He’s always the first to arrive at training and the last to leave,” Jenkyn said.
“If I ask him to run, or swim laps, he never hesitates. I’ve been teaching since the 1980s, and Cruz is something special.
“He’s on his way to being a world champion.”
With his sights set on future competitions and bigger opportunities, Saengsourinh-Saunders is now seeking sponsorship to support his journey.
If sponsoring this rising star of the sport is of interest to you, please email his mother on missashleigh
[email protected].
