The diminutive boxer Dao Hong Son was punched in the eye by a towering Thai athlete: A truly unforgettable memory.

Dao Hong Son competed in an event that was not his specialty.

Within the Vietnamese jujitsu team, Dao Hong Son is one of the most accomplished fighters, with two SEA Games gold medals and the reigning world champion. However, these titles were won by this "tiny" fighter in his preferred 56 kg weight class, where he primarily competes in a wrestling style. Meanwhile, at the 33rd SEA Games, Hong Son's 56 kg weight class was not included in the competition program, so he had to register to compete in the 62 kg weight class, which is based on points.

Dao Hong Son anticipated the difficulties of competing in an event that wasn't his forte… and this proved to be true. The 1997-born fighter, with significant disadvantages in physique, arm reach, and leg length, suffered a defeat against the host country's athlete from Thailand in his opening match. Although Hong Son was as quick as a squirrel, he couldn't compensate for his physical disadvantages.

Võ sĩ 'tí hon' Đào Hồng Sơn bị VĐV Thái Lan lừng lững đấm sưng mắt: Ký ức thật khó quên- Ảnh 1. — Dao Hong Son's right eyelid was slightly swollen.

Losing his first match at the 33rd SEA Games meant Dao Hong Son was relegated to the loser's bracket. In his second match, the 28-year-old boxer faced his teammate Le Kien in the bronze medal match. Hong Son displayed agility, close-range combat, and unleashed a variety of punches, grappling, and submission holds to knock out his opponent. He won the SEA Games bronze medal.

After finishing his matches in the 62 kg weight class, Dao Hong Son remained energetic. "In competition, there are wins and losses, but I did my best. This event was too difficult; my opponents were too big and strong. I only had one option: to win with a full ippon, meaning one punch, one grapple, and one submission hold. If it were a points fight, I would still lose no matter how I fought," Son said cheerfully.

When asked about his swollen and bruised right eyelid, Hong Son shared: "In the first match, the Thai fighter landed a punch to my eye, so it's a little swollen now. But it's nothing serious."

Võ sĩ 'tí hon' Đào Hồng Sơn bị VĐV Thái Lan lừng lững đấm sưng mắt: Ký ức thật khó quên- Ảnh 2. — Dao Hong Son (right) has a significant disadvantage in terms of physique when competing in the 62 kg points category.

Dao Hong Son is still competing in the ne-waza 62 kg weight class. This is another big challenge for the Vietnamese fighter. "In this event, there are many strong opponents, some of whom have won world medals. I will try my best, aiming to win each match, giving my all and learning from stronger opponents."