INDIA’s Asha “Knockout Queen” Roka might have it all to do against Stamp Fairtex in her ONE Championship debut at ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, 16 August.
Her striking will be put to test against the two-sport ONE World Champion. But the Indian national boxing champion is confident of her chances as she boasts a perfect 4-0 slate in her mixed martial arts career.
Still only 20, the Bhopal native has come a long way in her martial arts journey that begun with boxing while she was only 11 years old.
“I always liked martial arts. I wanted to go for wushu, but one of the boxing coaches invited me to train because he saw something in me,” she recalled.
“I was able to do pretty well on the first day of my training, so the coach invited me there for practice, and that’s when my boxing career started.”
Roka’s boxing dream kicked off unexpectedly, and unlike some, she received instant support from her family.
“I had very good support from my family because my father always liked sports,” the Positron Gym representative said.
“My brother went for boxing, and one day, I went with him to the academy just casually to explore and to know what martial arts is. I saw that a lot of girls and boys were doing boxing practice together. I felt this was very attractive and very unique, so I decided to join.”
Her immense techniques saw her earn a chance to join her state’s boxing squad – the start of a long list of triumphs for the “Knockout Queen.”
Roka raked up several local, national, and international titles, which included a bronze medal in the World Championships in Bulgaria in 2013.
“I won a gold medal in my first international competition, then the biggest of all in the World Championships.”
“For us, this is very important, and winning a medal in the World Championships is a very big thing. I was the only athlete from India to win a medal. It was a very proud moment for me.”
However, boxing was then banned for three years in India, and it ultimately derailed Roka’s boxing quest. Not wanting to quit, Roka packed her bags and moved to Delhi to train mixed martial arts – some 700 kilometers away from home.
That marked the beginning of her mixed martial arts career, and Roka has now finished all four of her rivals in less than five minutes combined. The Indian martial artist will now have her eyes on a fifth-career win when she takes on Stamp in Thailand.
“I feel very proud that a female Indian fighter has got a chance to fight on such a big platform and against an extremely good fighter,” she said.
“I will showcase my skills to the whole world and prove to other nations that Indian fighters are no less than others.”
For more martial arts action, be sure to watch ONE Championship’s next event ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD.
Astro Awani
Wed Aug 14 2019
Roka raked up several local, national, and international titles, which included a bronze medal in the World Championships in Bulgaria in 2013. - ONE photo
Bekas Gabenor Bank Negara Tan Sri Ahmad Mohd Don meninggal dunia
Bekas Gabenor Bank Negara Tan Sri Ahmad Mohd Don meninggal dunia di kediaman keluarganya di Johor Bahru awal pagi tadi.
"Jangan buat ukuran begitu. Itu hanya memberi sedikit petanda" - PM
Perdana Menteri memaklumkan analisis dari 248 petunjuk SDG terkini, Malaysia berada dalam kedudukan yang agak baik iaitu sebanyak 43 peratus berbanding purata dunia sebanyak 17 peratus.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
Ruslin Jusoh dilantik KP AADK yang baharu mulai hari ini
Ruslin berpengalaman selama lebih 28 tahun dalam perkhidmatan awam melalui lantikan sebagai Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik pada 1995.
Minta maaf atau siap sedia 'pecah tabung' - Peguam ‘Abang Bas’
Keluarga 'Abang Bas' mahu mengambil tindakan undang-undang terhadap beberapa individu termasuk kalangan selebriti yang melemparkan kata-kata nista terhadap lelaki itu.
Mahkamah arah MHO, dua pihak lain padam kenyataan kaitkan Mashitah dengan pemerdagangan manusia di Myanmar
Mereka diarah untuk memadamkan kenyataan didakwa berbaur fitnah mengaitkan bekas Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Mashitah Ibrahim dengan jenayah pemerdagangan manusia di Myanmar.
AWANI Ringkas: 392 kanak-kanak diselamatkan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
"Tanam semangat melakukan perubahan selari dengan keadaan semasa."- PM
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menekankan bahawa dahulunya cabaran iklim tidak begitu memberi kesan, berbanding sekarang ianya lebih melebar dan menyeluruh.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
Mayat pengawal keselamatan ditemukan dalam but kereta
Seorang pengawal keselamatan dipercayai dibunuh selepas mayatnya ditemukan di dalam but sebuah kereta di Sabak Bernam.
Wisma Putra nasihatkan rakyat Malaysia di Poland, Republik Czech waspada susulan banjir
Rakyat Malaysia berkunjung ke kawasan terjejas banjir di Poland dan Republik Czech dinasihatkan supaya sentiasa berwaspada dan mematuhi arahan keselamatan.
[TERKINI] Majlis perasmian Sidang Kemuncak Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan Malaysia
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hadir majlis perasmian Sidang Kemuncak Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan Malaysia (SDG Summit 2024) di Pusat Konvesyen Kuala Lumpur (KLCC).
Kedutaan Malaysia di Bangkok anjur resepsi hari kebangsaan, sambut hubungan dua hala yang erat
Lebih 600 tetamu, termasuk diplomat asing, profesional Malaysia, ahli perniagaan, wakil dewan perniagaan dan Malaysians in Bangkok (MIB) hadir.
Penerbangan Malaysia Airlines ke Bangkok buat penurunan kecemasan dan pulang ke KLIA
Penerbangan Malaysia Airlines MH780 mengalami "isu tekanan" semasa dalam penerbangan ke Bangkok hari ini selepas berlepas dari Kuala Lumpur pada 5:59 petang.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
MPC tutup kempen di Bangkok dengan cemerlang
Dalam aksi peringkat terakhir, pelumba MPC berhasil meraih tempat kedua dengan mempamerkan kemahiran dan keazaman luar biasa.
Mohammad Rifdean idam kontrak ONE Championship, tali pinggang
Atlet dari Sarawak itu memerlukan 78 saat untuk menundukkan Pichai Lookbanmai dengan pukulan TKO dalam pertarungan ONE Friday Fights 56.
Kedutaan lancar kempen promosi produk Malaysia di Thailand
Kempen "Taste of Malaysia" merupakan program berterusan untuk meningkatkan identiti jenama produk Malaysia di Thailand.
Kecoh apabila dua kumpulan pondan bertempur di Bangkok
Polis bergegas ke tempat kejadian sejurus menerima laporan 20 wanita transgender warga Filipina menyerang dua wanita transgender warga Thailand.
Bangkok dilanda jerebu tebal, seluruh Thailand catat udara tidak sihat
Bangkok dan 66 wilayah di Thailand itu terus diselubungi jerebu dengan zarah tidak selamat pada PM2.5 direkodkan pada Khamis.
Bangkok diselubungi asap, pekerja bekerja dari rumah
Bangkok disebungi asap tidak sihat dengan zarah PM2.5 melonjak melepasi paras selamat pada 50 ug/m3, mencetuskan kebimbangan kesihatan awam.
Negara membangun perlu perkukuh sektor logistik dan rantaian bekalan - Ismail Sabri
Penekanan kepada tenaga kerja mahir dan mempromosikan inovasi juga menjadi antara faktor untuk memperkukuh sektor logistik.