Kenny Hong and Moa Carlsson – Aiming for the World Cup gold in Thailand

Kenny Hong - Professional Thai boxer

Kenny is a 24-year-old professional Thai boxer from Hillerstorp, who lives in Halmstad (a bigger city in the west coast of Sweden) and fights there for Halmstad Muay Thai club. He works as an electrician and in his spare time when he is not training, he likes to spend his time with family and friends. He describes himself as an open person with his feet on the ground and are very driven to reach his goals!

How long have you been practicing your sport and why did you start with it?

“I have been training Thai boxing for eight years now and have been a professional Thai boxer for three years. I started with the sport when my football team was disbanded, and after seven years in the spirit of football, I wanted to try something new and have always been interested in martial arts. My teacher in school back then trained/competed in Thai boxing so she told me to try it out, since that day I was stuck.”

What is your best trait in your sport?

“My best trait is that I always work hard, my explosiveness and that I am fast in my technique.”

How many hours do you spend on your sport?

“Before a championship or a professional match I workout 8-10 sessions a week, and a session is usually from 1-1.45 hours.”

How tough is it to combine an elite investment with work/studies?

“It can be very tough and tiring because I workout first thing in the morning and then I go straight to work. After work I go straight to the training center again. I also have a physical job that keeps me going all day.

But in the end, when you get your hand up in the air, all the hard work is so worth it!”

What is the aim for the upcoming season and tell us about the journey towards the World Cup?

“Right now I have the World Cup gold in sight! Then I have some championships planned, a World Games qualifier in February and then a European Championship that kicks off in mid-March next year.

The trip to the World Cup was a bit shaky. The selection took place through the Swedish championship where I lost the final, but the one who won turned down the national team, so I got the chance instead!”

How many sponsors/partners do you have today?

“Today I have five partners who sponsor me with their brand / products.”

How did you get in touch with Axelent?

“I have known Axelent for a long time because I grew up in Hillerstorp and my best friend's mother works at Axelent. I have heard a lot of good things about Axelent, so I did not hesitate to contact you guys!”

What is important for you when you search for a partner in sponsorship?

“The most important thing for me is that people believe in me and my achievements. That we have the same visual goals and to have a good contact and dialogue in the meantime.”

Do you set up a common goal together with the sponsor?

“We have a common goal and right now it is that I will stand at the top of the podium. It feels good that I’m not doing this all by myself, as I have a good team behind and supporting me.”

What is your long-term goal?

“My future goal is to win championships like these and to be a better fighter than I was yesterday!”

Moa Carlsson - Professional Thai boxer

Moa graduated in June this year and now works in the home care service in Hillerstorp. She explains that she wants to try the working life for a while before she starts studying again. Her plan is to start studying to be a chiropractor or anesthesia nurse. The job and training are basically the only thing she has time for during everyday life, but as soon as there is extra time, she is happy to spend that with her friends. She also loves to have Swedish fika so baking is also high on the agenda!

How long have you been practicing your sport and why did you start with it?

“I have been training since I was around eleven years old. It was my dad and brother who started with the sport as a "father and son" thing, but I also wanted to try and got hooked right away.”

What is your best trait in your sport?

“My best trait is that I have hard and fast techniques.”

How many hours do you spend on your sport?

“I train six sessions a week and each session is between 1-1.45 hours.”

How tough is it to combine an elite investment with work/studies?

“Combining an elite investment with ordinary work has become a part of my everyday life, so I’m use to it. But of course, it is incredibly tough in periods when you have matches booked. The only thing you do then is exercise, eat and sleep. The training takes up a lot of my free time, which means that I do not have time for so much else. Combining work with an elite investment requires an enormous amount of discipline and patience.”

What is the aim for the upcoming season and tell us about the journey towards the World Cup?

“I took the Swedish Championship gold as a senior this spring, which qualified me to WC this December. The entire autumn I have been training hard (and still do) and the goal is to take home the World Cup gold. The World Cup will determine what 2022 will look like but the goal for the year is to go to the European Championships, the World Cup and to compete in the World Games.”

How many sponsors / partners do you have today?

“Today I have around ten sponsors who supports me in the journey towards the World Cup.”

How did you get in touch with Axelent?

“I called to many different companies in our community and I was recommended by another companies to call Axelent, told that Axelent are passionate about supporting local sportsman in their sport careers.”

What is important for you when you search for a partner in sponsorship?

“I am proud to grow up in what we call “the local-Gnosjö-spirit", which for me means that everyone helps out and that you pull your straw to the pile.
I proudly want to show the entrepreneurship that comes from our area. The sponsorship for me as an athlete means that I get the chance to reach my high goals and that I can develop even more in my sport.
I am so incredibly grateful to all the companies that supports me in this!”

Do you set up a common goal together with the sponsors?

“The goal we have for now is to take home the World Cup gold!”

What is your long-term goal?

“The long-term goal is to take home the Olympic gold, and to attend the One Championship, which is the best you achieve in Thai boxing.”