Shadow Singha Mawynn opens up about childhood poverty: “I didn’t even dare to dream”

Success hasn’t made Shadow Singha Mawynn forget where he came from. If anything, it’s made those memories more vivid.

The #3-ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender faces Mohamed Younes Rabah at ONE Fight Night 33 on Friday, July 11, inside Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. For the 25-year-old Thai striker, the bout represents validation of a journey that seemed impossible just years ago.

Shadow’s path to ONE Championship’s main roster wasn’t paved with privilege or opportunity. Instead, it was built through necessity and shaped by circumstances that would have broken lesser spirits.

Growing up in Thailand’s Tak province with his single mother taught Shadow lessons that no gym could provide. While other kids worried about toys or games, he watched his mother take any job available just to keep their family afloat.

Those early experiences in poverty created the foundation for everything that followed. They also gave him perspective that money can’t buy.

“I grew up with my mother and aunt. Our family was not well-off, and I was never spoiled by anyone. It was as if I was trained to be self-reliant from a young age. However, my mother always gave me love,” he said.

Shadow Singha Mawynn finds purpose through struggle

The hardships that defined Shadow Singha Mawynn’s childhood became the driving force behind his success. Watching his mother sacrifice everything for their family instilled values that no amount of training could teach.

Every small luxury that others took for granted felt like an impossible dream. Basic necessities became symbols of their struggle, reminding him daily of their situation.

But those same struggles gave Shadow something invaluable — the understanding that nothing worthwhile comes easy. His mother’s work ethic became his blueprint for approaching Muay Thai.

“My childhood in Tak was quite difficult. My mother did everything to earn income, whether it was foraging in the forest or working on a construction site,” he said.

“She was willing to do anything to support our family, to the point where I felt I didn’t even dare to dream because of our constrained social and economic circumstances, so much so that we couldn’t even afford a 15-baht (US$0.50) sachet of cream for dry skin in winter.”