Mexico to host Muay Thai World Cup for the first time in history

Mexico will be the host of the Muay Thai World Cup for the first time in history, taking place in Cancun, Quintana Roo from May 10th to May 19th. Around one thousand adults, aged between 17 and 40, from one hundred countries will participate. The tournament will feature 14 male categories and 11 female categories.

"We will have a capacity for 1200 people, we need support so that foreigners feel pressured. I hope, as we have done in recent years, to win medals and surpass what we did in the previous World Cup," said Jesus Santamaria, Secretary General of the Mexican Muay Thai Federation.

The qualifiers for the Mexican National Team will take place on March 31st in Mexico City, where 60 athletes will compete for one of the 32 spots for the event in the southeast of the country. The pre-selected athletes for their participation in the Pan American Championship, Paolo Olea in the 57kg category, Abraham Gonzalez in the 67kg category, and the 60kg national champion, Osvaldo Rangel, are currently preparing to qualify for the World Cup.

"It is an emerging sport in Mexico, it is quite difficult to become a power, but we are a country that is recognized for being resilient. I believe that in the not too distant future, we will be a power in Muay Thai," expressed Gonzalez, who is 20 years old and started practicing the discipline at the age of 15.

They train under the guidance of Mauricio Calvo, a former world champion who has previously coached the national teams of Argentina, Peru, and his homeland Costa Rica. He currently resides in Thailand, where he has a gym, but his goal at the moment is to support the Mexican National Team.

About the work he does twice a day for six days a week with Mexican fighters, he explained: "The strictest aspect is the diet. Each fighter competes at their exact weight, without going over a gram. We focus on technical preparation, strategy, and physical conditioning."

The team also includes two athletes who are already part of the May competition. Luis Castañeda, who competes in the 80kg category and qualified for the World Cup in the February qualifiers; and Richard Cruz in the 67kg category, whose gold medal in the South American tournament positioned him as a selected athlete:

"It has been three or four years in which the sport has advanced by leaps and bounds and the result is a World Cup in Mexico. It is a historic event, and what better than to be a part of it. All Mexican athletes always give their all," concluded Cruz, who is currently solely dedicated to his training prior to the competition.