Cambodian Top Team’s Nou Srey Pov has seen a meteoric rise in popularity after ending 2018 with being awarded “Female Fighter of the Year” by World Lethwei Championship and then winning the Kun Khmer Championship in Cambodia.
Despite such astonishing accomplishments, the 24-year-old managed to exceed expectations last month when she made her mixed martial arts debut and defeated Thai superstar Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige at ONE: CLASH OF LEGENDS in Bangkok.
Now hailed a local hero herself, Srey Pov looks to continue building on her thriving martial arts career by taking on even bigger challenges, something that has led the striking phenom to consider high-level opponents outside of Cambodia.
“There’re only new female fighters in Cambodia, so I don’ really have anyone I want to compete with here,” Srey Pov explains.
She has expressed interest in testing her skills against Thailand’s ONE Super Series Atomweight Kickboxing & Muay Thai World Champion Stamp Fairtex, but if a bout against Stamp would not materialize, Srey Pov is in no shortage of challenges.
“This year I don’t think I will compete in Kun Khmer since I’m in the national team of boxing,” she states.
“Therefore, I have to put my Kun Khmer training on hold while I focus on my boxing training for the [2019 Southeast Asian Games] in the Philippines in November.”
2019 looks like it is going to be another stellar year for the young Cambodian, a far cry from her early career.
“Before I could not find a place to fight, and I was thinking of quitting,” she explains.
“There were not many women fighting and almost no support whatsoever.”
“But now that [Cambodian Top Team leader] Hun Chan Reach found new opportunities for me, I am full of excitement, and I’m very happy.”
“I don’t think of quitting anymore. I will do whatever it takes to be twice as good!”
To make sure she is prepared for any challenge ahead, Srey Pov continues to train vigorously and draws support from her growing fan base.
“I train every day,” she states.
“I train boxing at the Olympic Stadium, but if I have an MMA competition, I will prepare at Cambodian Top Team.
“Right now, I have so many fans supporting me. I am beyond happy,” she says.
“So many people texted me [after Bangkok], calling me ‘The Cambodian Heroine.’ My family and I are so thrilled!”
Khmer Komlang 