Today, IBF junior flyweight champion Thanongsak Simsri gears up for his first title defense against Sergio Mendoza on April 13, but to get where he has is testament to his dedication.

Simsri, The Ring's No. 3-rated player at 108 pounds, is the second-oldest of five siblings from Si Sa Ket, in the northeast of Thailand.

His family are farmers and most of the income comes from rice farming, which is insufficient to support the family.

That led Simsri to pursue Muay Thai when he was 14, in the hope of earning additional money to aid them. He took part in around 40 fights, going somewhere in the region of 30-10.

While he was making some money, he needed more and so transitioned to professional boxing at 18. To do so, he moved to the capital, Bangkok, some seven hours and over 300 miles from home to take the next step.

He started working with his now-manager and trainer Poom Kosonset, aka Ookami Tora, who also was a part of former Ring and WBC junior bantamweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai's team. "I liked combat sports because it could earn me money to support my family," Simsri (39-1, 34 KOs) told The Ring. "Then I switched to western boxing when I was 18, and that was the beginning of my first experience in that discipline.

"Boxing is what I love, and it's my duty to take care of my whole family. Therefore, in every fight, it's about making my family and loved ones happy, so I have to do my best in every fight."

Since he turned professional, Simsri has sent any money he's earned from fighting back to the family, a situation made even more difficult when his father became sick.

"Previously, my family was indebted to the government for agricultural purposes, and my parents had to work hard to pay off the government debt," he revealed.

"I took up boxing to help my family pay off the government debt, and I want to lift them out of poverty."

He also hopes to be able to make enough money to send his two younger sisters to school.

"I hoped that becoming a world champion will allow him to earn more money to support my family. However, I don't make enough money because boxing isn't popular in Thailand right now."

He also hopes to bring boxing back to its once former glory in his homeland.

"What I hope for next is to unify with the champions from various organizations in order to revive the interest in professional boxing in Thailand once again," he said.

"That might be the way for me to earn more money to support my family and lift them out of poverty."