World
Smilla Sundell on title defense: “She’s just one of many hard fighters I’ve faced”
Smilla Sundell. Photo via Instagram (@smilla_fairtex)
Swedish Muay Thai phenom Smilla Sundell is one of the brightest shining stars on the stacked ONE Championship Muay Thai roster.
On May 3 she will take on Natalia “Karelian Lynx” Diachkova with her strawweight title on the line. The young Swede can’t wait to get back in the ring to defend her gold against the tough Russian striker.
“She’s a good puncher. Very fast,” Sundell tells Frontkick in an exclusive interview. “She’s got back kicks and spinning back fists. Her boxing is good.”
Is she your toughest test to date?
“All my opponents are tough. She’s just one of many hard fighters I’ve faced so far.”
The sensational career of Smilla Sundell
Sundell’s young Muay Thai career is nothing but sensational. Even though she’s been around a short time she has accomplished a lot.
At 16, she became a top-ranked WBC women’s featherweight Muay Thai athlete and signed a deal with ONE Championship where she wrote history as the promotion’s youngest fighter to ever win a world title.
With four straight wins in ONE, do you feel the pressure to keep on winning?
“Yes, absolutely, I feel that pressure,” Sundell admits. ” I always feel a lot of pressure but if I always do the best I can, then I’m happy. I talk a lot to my parents about the pressure, they are like my mental coaches.”
After making her promotional debut in February 2022, she defeated stiff opponents like Jackie Buntan and Allycia Rodrigues. Looking back at the two years, she still feels like she didn’t do enough though.
“I haven’t fought as much as I want to. I’ve signed contracts but very few opponents dares to face me. I would love to fight two-three times a year. Now it’s more like once a year.”
The lack of fights is sometimes frustrating for the young champion.
“When I’m in Thailand but I don’t have any fights, that’s tough mentally. It’s hard to be away from my family in Sweden.”
Smilla “The Hurricane” Sundell and Natalia “Karelian Lynx” Diachkova. Photo via One Championship
Smilla Sundell: “I will hopefully be at McDonalds”
The young Swede is always up for taking on new challenges and tough opponents. One of her biggest dreams is to become a two-sport champion and lay her hands on the promotion’s kickboxing title.
“I would also love a mix-rule fight like Rodtang had against Demitrious Johnson. Like alternating Muay Thai and MMA rounds. I’ve mentioned it to ONE already. I’m open for anything but an real MMA fight, I’m just not quite there yet.”
But first things first. On U.S. primetime on May 3 she will defend her Muay Thai strawweight belt against Dyachkova at the classic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.
“At this time in two weeks I will hopefully be at McDonalds,” Smilla laughs. “I always have chicken nuggets and fries after I win a fight. And a lot of ice cream. I’ve been celebrating wins like that since I was 12 years old. Something like 40 fights.”
I guess you are a superstitious fighter then?
“Well, I guess I have a lot of rituals before I fight. My sister does my hair and my dad is in my corner and keeps track of things. I always have massages ahead of fights, small things like that.”
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