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James Goyder

For Hong Kong fighter Yu Yau-pui, fighting is not about the adulation or the financial rewards but the ability to be transformed into a person she loves.
It is not an easy profession, she acknowledges, with the risk of injury very real and fighters always getting some damage when they step into the ring.
Yu would not have it any other way, though, and in an exclusive interview with the Post, she said: “I just enjoy being myself; there are so many ups and downs but I often remind myself that Muay Thai is what I love to do and I love the person I [become] when I’m performing the sport.”
The full-time Muay Thai fighter, who is signed to ONE Championship, has a big fight next month when she takes on Amy Pirnie at ONE Fight Night 24.

The fight at Bangkok’s Lumpinee stadium will be Yu’s first since March – which is quite a change from last year, when she fought five times, winning all five.
Yu signed a multi-fight contract to compete on the ONE Championship events that are broadcast live in North America by Amazon Prime. It means she is probably earning significantly more than she was in 2023, though the 31-year-old did not go into specifics.
Yu is proud that some of her female compatriots have started following the trail she blazed. Phoebe Lo Tsz-ching made her debut on the ONE Friday Fights series recently while Emily Chong recently saw her debut at the weekly event delayed by injury.
“I think there will be more opportunities for Hong Kong fighters getting into the biggest stage and there have been more Hong Kong fighters fighting in Thailand. I’m so happy for them.”
Ahead of her fight with Pirnie, Yu has been studying the form of ONE Championship star Tawanchai PK Saenchaigym, who holds the promotion’s featherweight Muay Thai title and is seen as one of the best fighters on the roster.


“He’s a southpaw and so am I, so I look at his skills and try to practise them.”
Her opponent is returning from a three-year hiatus but Yu is clearly not underestimating the Scottish fighter.
“I know she hasn’t been competing for a long time but she definitely has the strength and experience so it won’t be easy.
“I know that she has KO power. I’ve known her a long time because she was a big name before I started competing in Muay Thai, so I see this as a big challenge.”
The 31-year-old, whose fights tend to be all-action affairs, almost never takes a backwards step but she refused to offer any predictions ahead of the contest.
“I really don’t like predictions. I want to let my fight tell the story.”


ONE Championship: Superlek stuns Haggerty in 49 seconds to win bantamweight Muay Thai belt

ONE Championship: MMA GOAT Demetrious Johnson announces retirement during ONE 168

ONE Championship: Takeru Segawa excited to finally fight at Lumpinee Stadium

ONE Championship: Adrian Lee was ‘really nervous’ during debut, despite submission win

ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Hong Kong Muay Thai fighter Yu Yau-pui loves what she becomes in her bouts

Yu Yau-pui says she loves the person she becomes when she is performing Muay Thai. Photo: ONE Championship

Yu’s last bout was in March, when she defeated Spain’s Lara Fernandez. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Hong Kong’s Yu looking to extend winning streak at Fight Night 24

Yu Yau Pui will fac Amy Pirnie in an atomweight Muay Thai bout at ONE Fight Night 24. Photo: ONE Championship

Yu Yau Pui, left, lands a punch during her one-sided victory over Lara Fernandez at ONE Fight 20. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Danielle Kelly’s atomweight submission grappling belt on line at ONE 24

Danielle Kelly will face Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24. Photo: ONE Championship

Carlo Bumina-ang needed just 57 seconds to finish Reza Saedi at ONE Friday Fights 27. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: Hiroyuki Tetsuka v Isi Fitikefu MMA fight added to Denver’s ONE 168 card

Hiroyuki Tetsuka has won his past five fights, including two this year, and has not lost since 2020. Photo: ONE Championship

Malaysian Johan Gazali will fight Josue Cruz of Mexico in a flyweight Muay Thai contest. Photo: ONE Championship

Christian Lee set for long-awaited ONE Championship return to face Alibeg Rasulov

Christian Lee is making his return to ONE Championship to fight in Atlanta at ONE 169. Photo: ONE Championship

Adrian Lee will continue his family tradition of fighters with his second ONE Championship bout at Atlanta. Photo: ONE Championship

ONE Championship: bantamweight champ Jonathan Haggerty scared to face me, says Nico Carrillo

Scottish fighter Nico Carrillo is nicknamed ‘King of the North’ and targeting the bantamweight championship belt. Photo: ONE Championship

Carrillo, right, believes he is the best bantamweight fighter available to take on Haggerty. Photo: ONE Championship

Sport

Martial Arts

Muay Thai

After 5 wins from 5 last year, the 31-year-old takes on Scotland’s Amy Pirnie at ONE Fight Night 24 next month in her first bout since March


After five wins from five fights last year, the 31-year-old takes on Scotland’s Amy Pirnie at ONE Fight Night 24 next month in her first bout since March.
