‘I Almost Quit Fighting’ – Supergirl Details Long Road Back To ONE Championship

Nearly two years have passed since Anna “Supergirl” Jaroonsak last stepped into the ring, but the memory of her devastating loss to Cristina Morales still haunts the Thai striker. Now, she’s determined to turn the page and start fresh in a new chapter of her career.

The young phenom will attempt to reclaim her place among the elite women’s atomweights when she faces Teodora Kirilova in a highly anticipated Muay Thai clash at ONE Fight Night 34: Eersel vs. Jarvis on Prime Video, which airs live in U.S. primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, August 1.

For Supergirl, the road back to ONE Championship has been anything but smooth.

The crushing defeat to Morales in November 2023 was made even more painful by the circumstances surrounding it – a pre-fight mistake that would rob her of the victory she had trained so hard to achieve.

She explained:

“I remember training so hard for that fight, I was incredibly fit and ready. I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll definitely win easily.’ But then, the morning of the fight, I made a mistake without realizing it.

“I woke up at 4 AM, took my usual vitamins, including Vitamin C, on an empty stomach. When I got to the venue, I started feeling nauseous. I tried eating a banana, and immediately, I threw up in the bathroom.”

The physical discomfort and the succeeding defeat were just the beginning of a much deeper struggle for the 5-foot-8 striker. What followed was a mental health crisis that nearly ended her fighting career entirely.

Supergirl found herself questioning everything about her career and her mental state.

The Thai sensation said:

“Honestly, I’ve been fighting since I was 8 years old, training constantly without any long breaks. But over the past couple of years, as I started gaining recognition and social media became a big part of it, it really affected my mental health.

“I almost quit fighting because of all the negative comments online. I felt so down, almost depressed and having panic attacks. Sometimes I couldn’t even sleep.”

The budding star, who had compiled over 40 Muay Thai bouts by age 16, suddenly couldn’t find the fire that had driven her to become the youngest fighter in ONE Championship’s striking divisions.

Even when opportunities arose, something was missing:

“ONE has contacted me many times before, but I wasn’t ready then. I was busy with work, and that ‘I want to punch someone’ feeling just wasn’t there. But now, I genuinely feel ready.”

‘Supergirl’ Aims To Shine In Muay Thai Return At ONE Fight Night 34

After focusing on opening her new gym in Phuket and exploring other ventures like modeling during her hiatus, Anna “Supergirl” Jaroonsak has found her fighting spirit once again.

With a perfect 2-0 Muay Thai record in ONE Championship, the surging standout sees her return as a chance to remind the world that the rising star who beat former ISKA Kickboxing and WBC Muay Thai World Champion Lara Fernandez is far from done.

The timing of Supergirl’s return against Teodora Kirilova at ONE Fight Night 34 couldn’t be more perfect, as she faces a 34-year-old Bulgarian striker who presents a unique stylistic challenge:

“Every time I decide to do something, I always ask myself first, ‘Do I really want to do this? Do I still have that feeling?’ If I feel ready and really want it, then I go for it.

“I’m confident in my strength. For this fight, I really want to be more composed and precise with my attacks. I’m focusing on heavy, accurate strikes. I want to improve my game plan and read the game better.”

Standing 5 inches taller than Kirilova and nearly 13 years younger, Supergirl believes her physical advantages and well-rounded Muay Thai skill set will be the difference against her southpaw opponent.

The Jaroonsak Muaythai standout said:

“She’s southpaw but I’m not that comfortable fighting southpaws, I’ve only done it a few times. But I’m training to adapt and use a wider range of techniques now.

“Teodora’s strength is her rapid punches. Her weakness is that she doesn’t use her legs much, it’s mostly a boxing style. I think I’ll have an advantage because I’m more well-rounded in Muay Thai.”

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