Plight of people strikes at heart of up-and-coming Kachin MMA fighter
Aung La N Sang is a dominant force inside US cages, but outside them he is a circumspect, proud native son committed to helping his ethnic group in their fight for survival in any way he can
- Published: 28 Oct 2012 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: Spectrum
Aung La N Sang could well be the most high-profile sporting export of newly opened up Myanmar, but he is fighting for far more than fame and prize money. Before his most recent fight in the Cage Fury Fighting Championship (CFFC) at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in the US state of Delaware on Oct 13, the mixed martial arts (MMA) exponent from Kachin state boldly predicted on TV he would knock out his opponent in the first round.
With a flurry of head shots, the 27 year old delivered on cue, knocking Jason Louck to the canvas in two minutes and 30 seconds. As soon as he won he held aloft a Kachin flag and vowed to donate part of his purse to help the estimated 70,000 refugees displaced by the Kachin Independence Army's (KIA) renewed fighting with the Myanmar military.
"I felt sad when I heard the news and before the match I had already announced I would fight for my people. Now I will send 25% of my fight purse for the refugees. I hope it will offer a little bit of relief,"Aung La said after his victory. "My message to them [the refugees] is we want to help them as much as we can. I want to keep trying for them. Hopefully there will be more people who will get involved and help them."
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