ONE Championship: Supergirl says she was sick before getting TKOd by Cristina Morales at Fight Night 16
- The 19-year-old Thai kickboxer reveals she felt ’faint’ and ‘wanted to throw up’ when she woke up before her early morning fight
- ‘I really apologise to Chatri [Sityodtong, ONE chairman] that I made you disappointed and thank you for giving me a big opportunity’
Anna “Supergirl” Jaroonsak apologised to ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong and her fans after “disappointing” them with a first-round KO loss on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Thai was completely dismantled by Spain’s Cristina Morales at ONE Fight Night 16 in Bangkok.
Referee Olivier Coste had to jump in and intervene when Supergirl, after taking a series of clean shots to the face, turned her back on Morales and began walking away in the ring, seemingly dazed. Coste soon waived it off.
She looked completely off from the first bell at Lumpinee Stadium, and even seemed pale in her walkout, and later claimed she had felt like “throwing up” after waking up for the early morning bout.
“Big apologies to all my supporters for my performance and congratulations to my opponent, she’s a very good fighter,” Supergirl wrote in a social media post.
“For this fight I’ve been training very hard to be the most fit I’ve ever been. But this morning I after I woke up at 4am, I took energy jelly and vitamin supplements. After one more hour I felt not good in my stomach.
“But me and my team still decided to go to the fight because we thought I’ll get better after I did a warm-up, to sweat it out. I tried to do it to show people in the athletes’ room I’m fine, but I would do 30 seconds and I felt faint, and felt [like wanting] to throw up.
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“I still kept warming up like that as much as I could and my team thought I would be better, and it’s too late to cancel the fight because we worked so hard.
“So we decided to continue fighting and hoping after getting into the ring I would get better but it wouldn’t. I really apologise for Khun Chatri [Sityodtong, ONE chairman and CEO] that I made you disappointed and thank you for giving me a big opportunity to stand in world class martial arts.”
The 30-year-old Morales offered her support to Supergirl after the fight, and insisted the young Thai would return to the ring stronger after the setback.
“Supergirl is a top fighter,” she told the Post. “Sometimes in kickboxing you win, and sometimes you lose. But the status of Supergirl is up today, tomorrow and yesterday.
“I would like for Supergirl to come back soon, to stay good, and stay happy for the next time.”
For her part, Morales is now targeting a “dream” fight with divisional champion Janet Todd, a rematch with Anissa Meksen, or a match-up with Phetjeeja Ormeekhun.
“The first dream is to win today and the second dream is to fight for the title,” she said. “I am Cristina Morales. It is important for me the people know who I am. I am ready to fight for the title.
“Janet Todd is my favourite, I will like a fight with Janet Todd. She is a great fighter.”
French-Algerian veteran Meksen will face rising Muay Thai star Phetjeeja for the interim atomweight title next month at ONE Friday Fights 46, meaning Morales may have to wait in line.
“I think that’s a good fight, the two fighters are very strong and I will want a fight with Meksen again, and a fight in the future also with Phetjeeja,” she added.
“It’s a dream to be at this event. I’m very happy to fight Supergirl as she is a superstar. I need to come back very soon because I love fighting and I love ONE Championship. It is important for me to get the next one soon.”
