Undefeated River Daz will make his ONE Championship debut at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium tomorrow.
The Australian will take on experienced Romanian Silviu Vitez at ONE Lumpinee 23 in a 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai battle, as he strives to reach the upper echelons of the sport on the global stage.
Before "Filipino Flash" makes his promotional bow, it's time readers get to know the man from down under.
Daz was born in Melbourne, Australia, to Filipino parents.
Fighting didn't seem to be on the cards for Daz growing up, although he did enjoy watching kung fu movies and anime, as well as watching boxing with his father.
The youngster played tennis as well, although by age 17 he was beginning to tire of the sport. That's when a chance conversation with a friend altered the course of his life.
That friend had started training Muay Thai at Hammer's Gym nearby his home and implored Daz to join him on the mats.
Like many people who became future martial artists, he was instantly hooked.
At first it was the fitness side of the sport that captured Daz's imagination, but the ultra-competitive teenager soon decided to try his hand in the ring.
It wasn't until age 21 that Daz turned professional, and under the guidance of Australian icon Mark "The Hammer" Castagnini, embarked on an unbeaten run through the local scene.
The 30-year-old has amassed a 32-0-1 career mark in the years since, including a 4-0 run with European promotion Glory Kickboxing.
Daz has also tried his hand in western boxing, where he has taken on some well-known fighters on the Australian domestic scene.
That boxing experience shows in Daz's style, as he lives up to his "Filipino Flash" moniker with fast footwork and quick combinations.
Because of that, expect the Daz-Vitez encounter to be fought at a furious pace as both men bring high-volume, all-action fighting styles to the Lumpinee ring.
The first bout starts at 7.30pm at Lumpinee tomorrow while Channel 7 shows live the programme from 8.30pm.
Tickets are available at www.thaiticketmajor.com.
