Smilla Sundell calls Stamp Fairtex “a big inspiration,” reveals the moment that made her want to train at Fairtex

By BJPENN.COM Staff - August 31, 2023

Smilla Sundell and Stamp Fairtex have cultivated a friendship that extends beyond their role as training partners.

Smilla Sundell Stamp Fairtex

The Swedish striker has found in Stamp an inspiration that fuels her own aspirations.

“Stamp has been a big inspiration for me all these years. That’s why I moved to Fairtex, because I saw that she made it, and I wanted to do the same,” she said.

Sundell narrowed down her journey toward Muay Thai excellence to one impactful moment. In 2018, she watched her teammate in action against Alma Juniku. That experience changed everything for the teen star.

“When I saw Stamp defending the [ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Title] against Alma Juniku, we were eating dinner and watching that fight. Just seeing that fight, I was like, ‘Wow, I want to do that too,’” she recalled.

Moreover, she values the rapport that has blossomed between her and Stamp.

Their careers might demand a lot of attention, but they’ve fostered a strong bond rooted in mutual respect and shared experiences.

“We have a friendly relationship. We joke around in the gym, and we see each other outside, but after training, we are all so dead,” Sundell said. “So the main thing we do is go and eat together with some of our friends.”

Now, Sundell is paying it forward. In fact, she wants to inspire a new generation of female athletes.

Smilla Sundell and Stamp Fairtex fighting side-by-side at ONE Fight Night 14

As fate would have it, Smilla Sundell and Stamp Fairtex are gearing up for their respective assignments at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video this September 29. The card airs live in U.S. primetime from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Top-ranked Stamp faces No. 2-ranked Ham Seo Hee for the ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Title in the main event.

Meanwhile, Sundell defends her ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Championship against the sport’s atomweight queen, Allycia Hellen Rodrigues.

It’s safe to assume that the Fairtex Training Center’s dynamic duo share the same dream – to return to Pattaya, Thailand, draped in gold.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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ONE Championship Stamp Fairtex