Siriporn Thaveesuk has her sights set on beating Japan’s Ayaka Miyano.

The fight will take place on April 3 at 4pm at a makeshift arena in front of the Klong Prem Central Prison, Jatuchak. The pint-sized Siriporn, alias Samson Sor Siriporn, said past experiences had made her more determined.

"After the loss on points to Japanese Nanako Kikuchi in the WBC minimum-weight fight last May, I have been training much harder for this fight. I lost last time because I was inexperienced," said Siriporn, who will turn 25 on April 26.

"I have learned from past mistakes and I will do my best for my country. I have had about 89 sparring sessions and I just want to prove that jailbirds can make good of their lives, no matter what they did in the past.

"The hard training and the strict discipline I had been through will help me to start my life again," she said.

"I have studied Miyano's tapes. She is no doubt an aggressive fighter and she punches quite hard. I am not going to fight carelessly against her. I just cannot afford to underestimate her."

Serving a 10-year term for dealing in methamphetamine pills, Siriporn has done well in her fighting career and stands a good chance of an early release on parole. Jailed six years ago, Siriporn has won some boxing fights and accolades for the Women's Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts. The Corrections Department decided to give her a 38-month reduction in her sentence.

But victory over the Japanese challenger on April 3 will give her an early release on parole and a new lease of life as a shopkeeper in her hometown in Lop Buri.

In her previous nine fights, the left-hander, who stands 160cm tall, has won seven, with two Kos, and lost twice, while Miyano, known as the charming female Ninja, has had four wins with no KOs, two losses and one draw.

Apart from the Samson-Miyano fight for the WBC female light-flyweight crown, there will be seven undercards that day.

Preechachan  Wiriyanupappong

The Nation