Hong Kong Muay Thai fighter Carlos So Tsz-hin is a paramedic who packs a punch

Muay Thai fighter Carlos So Tsz-hin may be a killer in the ring, but he is the opposite outside of it. The former two-time national champion doubles up as a licensed paramedic, fitting both into his schedule despite regular day-long on-call shifts. “I hope I can be both,” So said on whether he considers himself primarily as a fighter or lifesaver. “Aside from being a competitor, I really like the feeling of helping people. It’s quite a unique situation, isn’t it? “I actually think there are some similarities. For example, as a Muay Thai practitioner I have to be obsessed with it to succeed. It’s the same as saving someone’s life. If you aren’t fully committed to helping them out, you won’t be able to save them.” The 26-year-old trains out of xBattle Muay Thai and Fitness in Kwun Tong, headed by former multiple-time Hong Kong champion Kwok Ka-man. So drew against former East Asian champion Curry Ng Ka-chun at a two-night KF1 event in ATV Studio in Tai Po on Friday, in what was billed a “champ vs champ” bout. After going strike-for-strike with one of Hong Kong’s best, So casually returned to his emergency service duties the next day. “After work at 8 or 9 at night, my coaches would still find time out of their own schedule to train with me until 10 or 11. It’s tough on them and I’m so thankful that they let me continue to train with them,” said So, who earned his paramedic badges three years ago. “There’s still time to do my own training and even relax when I’m not on-call,” he said. “If it’s not too busy that day, I go for a run or keep up some physical exercises so I save time for when I get to the gym. I can then focus on the technical side of things rather than cardio.” Since his day job is considered to be essential and high-risk, So has been extremely sensitive of his movements during the ongoing pandemic. That accompanied with Thai boxing’s knack for drawing people into the clinch is a potentially dangerous scenario. “We have to wear masks when we train, but sometimes we need to train and spar in proximity – it’s Muay Thai after all. I do worry about the transmission or getting too close to a training partner. Same as being a paramedic, I encounter a lot of new people and there’s a chance I can catch it. I fear that I’ll affect my training partners so I always wear a mask, get tested, and I’ve taken a vaccine.” So started Muay Thai aged 16 as a student-then-competitor for Tiger Muay Thai in Lai Chi Kok. With the historic gym ultimately closing its doors, he became a Muay Thai coach at various centres before setting foot in xBattle. “When I got here, the boss told me not to give up on competitions. I really felt like this place was helping me reach my dreams. I’m very thankful to ‘Kwok-man’, Paul [Lee Po-yiu] and Terry [Chow Hey-yin], who, no matter what time of day or situation, would help me to the best of their abilities,” So said, adding that he was a “fairly lazy” child before encountering combat sports. “My family were originally very worried about me getting injuries. But after being introduced to the sport I’ve become much more focused and professional. They see that I’m not kidding around, so while they originally protested my career choice, they all support me now. Especially my dad – if there’s a way to watch my fights live in-person, he’ll be there.” With his family’s backing, So soldiers on in both worlds, be it in the form of fists or first aid. He intends to compete in more local events and eventually return to representing Hong Kong internationally once the borders reopen. “I want to go to other countries and encounter different fighters. I’m 26, which is not too young as an athlete. If Covid-19 delays stuff for another year or two, then I will have lost a lot of momentum. I want to do more before I’m 30. Win or lose, I want to see more of the world,” he said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carlos So 卡路士。蘇 (@carlos_tszhin) He said he hopes Hong Kong’s traditional perceptions of Muay Thai would shift in the near future. “I see it as an extreme sport, and a lot of the time the damage to opponents it not too big. There are lines that you can’t cross and a lot of support and protection for the fighters,” he said when asked about the lingering stigma. “There are a lot of good fighters and coaches – like Ah Chung [Ng King-chung] – who spent a lot of time and dedication to pave their own paths. “The government needs to show more support for Hong Kong’s scene. [Muay Thai] is not considered an elite sport – we don’t get resources like the Hong Kong Sports Institute. There’s not much financial reward at the end of it, either. It needs to at least be in the public eye more. “Famous athletes like high jumper Cecilia Yeung [Man-wai] are coincidentally good-looking and people focus on her looks and treat her as if she’s a KOL [key opinion leader] or celebrity rather than her athletic abilities. They forget she’s actually a sportsperson – she puts a lot of effort into training. Similar to [Stephanie] Au Hoi-shun, people for some reason talk about her looks or body and overlook her swimming accolades and achievements.”