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Lars Hamer

One of Hong Kong’s top Muay Thai fighters said a local promoter still owed tens of thousands of dollars to her and six other athletes for a competition that took place in mainland China last year.
Emily Chong Lok-ming took to social media to complain that Space One Champions Event had withheld her purse and that of “all Hong Kong and certain foreign fighters”.
The 19-year-old, who asked for her total fee not to be disclosed, told the Post she had been trying to get her payment from company founder Joker Li Yiu-lun since November last year.
The Post has been told Space One owed at least HK$50,000 to various fighters who took part in the event in Foshan on November 16.
On Saturday, Li initially said he had “no comment, thank you” when contacted by the Post.












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However, Space One Production Limited then released a statement in response “to the recent spread of false statements on social media” in which it accused its partners of not paying funds it was owed, apologised to the fighters and organisations affected, and threatened legal action over the “dissemination of false information”.
Space One also said it would initiate legal proceedings against its partners on May 6 and report the matter to the Hong Kong stock exchange and Financial Management Bureau.
Chong said she had not reported the incident to the police because she did not believe a negotiation and fee she agreed with Space One via WhatsApp constituted a formal contract.
The teenager said she had fought for Space One four times, and signed a contract for the first three events and was paid on time.
“Last year, November 16, I fought for him at a Space One event in Foshan,” Chong told the Post. “Until now, he [Li] hasn’t paid me or any of the Hong Kong fighters, a few foreign fighters also haven’t been paid.”
Chong, who has twice fought for Asia’s biggest promoter, One Championship, said Li had originally told her he would pay her one week after the fight, but kept pushing back the payment date.
Australian fighter Ellie Tsigaras was another fighter who said she had not yet been paid. She signed a contract for a fee of AU$2,000 (HK$9,990) and showed the Post messages from last December where staff from Space One said her payment would be “settled in a few days”.
Andrew Capurro, an American Muay Thai fighter who trains in Thailand, told the Post he had signed a contract for a fee of 40,000 baht (HK$9,368) for the event. He was also still waiting.
“On April 1, me and my boss sent [Li] a formal message in Chinese saying you need to pay us [by April 6], or we’ll take action,” Chong said. “He told us he’d pay by May 1, but when I didn’t get it, I posted on social media.”
The Post has seen WhatsApp messages between Chong and Space One, where an agreement to pay before May 1 was made. The message also says that if anyone “makes a big scene out of this”, Space One has the right to refuse payment.
Chong had said she would make the issue public on social media if she did not receive payment.
In February, Chong lost her second One Championship bout by unanimous decision to Thailand’s Junior Fairtex. The Hongkonger dislocated her shoulder in the first round and is still recovering from the resulting surgery.


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Hong Kong Muay Thai fighter Emily Chong (left) fights Japan’s Koko Ohara at Lumpinee Stadium at ONE Friday Fights 80 on September 20, 2024. Photo: ONE Championship

Sport

Hong Kong

Martial Arts

Muay Thai fighter Emily Chong says she and others owed tens of thousands of dollars. Promoter Space One says it is owed money by partners


Muay Thai fighter Emily Chong says she and others owed tens of thousands of dollars. Promoter Space One says it is owed money by partners.


Hong Kong fighter Chong chases late bout fee, as promoter threatens legal action

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Muay Thai fighter Emily Chong says she and others owed tens of thousands of dollars. Promoter Space One says it is owed money by partners

Muay Thai fighter Emily Chong says she and others owed tens of thousands of dollars. Promoter Space One says it is owed money by partners