Rio de Janeiro: Boxer Amnat Ruenroeng has vowed to win a medal for his family and country at next month's Olympics.
"My physical condition has gradually improved,'' said the former IBF flyweight champion who will fight in the lightweight division in Rio.
"The weather here is fine. I will try to win a medal for the nation and my family."
While he admitted that he misses his family back home, he does not feel homesick because he is able to talks to them regularly through his smartphone.
"I miss my wife and kid but I don't feel lonely because I talk to them every day," said Amnat.
"My son World told me to bring back a medal. My wife Rat told me to give my all."
It will be the 36-year-old's second Olympic appearance after his quarter-final defeat at the 2008 Games.
After losing to Mongolia's Purevdorjiin Serdamba in Beijing, Amnat and the Thai camp complained he was robbed of victory.
Amnat, who successfully defended the IBF flyweight title against China's Zou Shiming last year, lost the belt to Johnriel Casimero of the Philippines a few months ago.
He planned to move up to super-flyweight but was persuaded to make a comeback to the national side after the International Boxing Association (Aiba) decided to allow professional fighters to take part in the Olympics.
Amnat earned a ticket to Rio at a qualifying event earlier this month.
Five Thai boxers will take part in the Rio Games with the other four being Chatchai Butdee (56kg), Wuttichai Masuk (64kg), Sailom Ardee (69kg) and Peamwilai Laopeam (women's 51kg).
In Shanghai, Aiba on Monday denied accusations it is trying to take over the sport, following its decision to let professional boxers fight at the Rio Olympics.
At an Aiba congress in Lausanne in Switzerland last month, 95 percent of delegates voted to allow professional boxers for the first time ever to enter the competition.
The decision was met with widespread derision in the boxing world, with many making their views clear even before the change was made.
Aiba president Wu Ching-Kuo said the organisation had no plans to take over the sport and allowing professionals to compete in Olympic boxing was a great step forward for it.
The official, who is Taiwanese, made the comments at a press conference to announce a joint venture to promote boxing between Aiba and Alisports, an arm of Chinese internet giant Alibaba which is owned by entrepreneur Jack Ma.
"We never said we want to take over boxing. We just want to open the door because no one can stop athletes from going to the Olympics, that is a fundamental concept," Wu said.
"If the athlete says 'My dream is to go to the Olympics', then we just want to open the door."
In May legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum told AFP the plan to introduce professional boxers was "total madness" and would result in "serious injuries".
Arum believed the decision was commercially orientated, with Aiba seeing more lucrative opportunities, and part of a wider power grab by the association.
But Wu rejected the charges saying that "only the best Aiba boxers" would be facing professional fighters.
Speaking about the new relationship with Alibaba, Wu predicted a bright future for boxing in China, which he described as a "noble sport" that could "prepare youth for the challenges which they face in society".
Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the development of the country's ailing football team a national priority, but Wu did not see this as a barrier to the development of boxing.
"President Xi Jinping loves boxing -- wait and see," he told AFP.
Alibaba, which owns a 37 percent stake in Asian football champions Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, launched Alisports last September to develop the sporting economy in "an innovative way with digital thinking", according to its website. bangkok post/afp