The driving force behind Danny Kingad’s rematch with Adriano Moraes

It’s safe to say that 2024 has been a rough year for Danny “The King” Kingad.

After losing his first fight this year against Yuya Wakamatsu, tragedy struck the Kingad household. He lost his mother in May due to complications from various illnesses.

Kingad admits that he hasn’t gotten over it yet, not that he believes he ever will. But it has also made him appreciate every single moment that he has with his loved ones – from his family to his friends.

“Of course, I’m still hurt. I don’t think it will ever go away. But I have to accept that it was really her time,” he said.

“It reminded me of our mortality, that our loved ones aren’t going to be here forever. So it’s all about cherishing every moment. I’m just happy to be her son. She raised me well.”

While Kingad’s void will never be filled, grief, in this case, has been his driving force for good.

Kingad bared how his mom had always been his biggest supporter, someone who had his back since he started to lace on a pair of gloves and compete in combat sports.

Now, before he takes on top-ranked flyweight contender Adriano Moraes at ONE 169: Malykhin vs. Reug Reug on November 9, he knows his mother is going to be there with him inside Lumpinee Stadium.

“I’m really motivated to win this fight for my mom. She’s always been supportive of me. She always supported me in this sport,” he said.

“Sometimes she’d just say, ‘I don’t care if you get hit, the most important thing is you win!’ That’s how I’m motivating myself.”

Now a family man himself, Kingad can only hope to emulate the hard work that his parents, particularly his mother, put in when raising him, as he’s now raising a kid of his own.

“Hard work [is the characteristic I most want to emulate]. My parents have always been hard workers, and it’s something I always keep in mind when providing for my family,” he said.

“I’ve seen how my mother supported us through the years, and it’s something that I hope to be for my family.”