My first Muay Thai match, Phrao Thailand

I’m slightly ashamed to admit that only now after a good 2 months in Thailand I have finally experienced my first Muay Thai boxing match. Omar – one of my fellow volunteers at Warm Heart – has been training with a local Muay Thai club for the past 6 months and is as passionate as can be about it. I had previously thought I didn’t like boxing or have any desire to watch two men (or women for that matter) beat each other up in front of a load of testosterone (and most probably alcohol) fuelled men and/or drunken tourists. Yet I was well and truly proved wrong last night.

A temple down the road from our house was putting on a big fundraiser, complete with live music, bouncy castles and, incongruously for pacifist Buddhist monks, a Muay Thai boxing ring! So I figured the time was nigh to experience this popular and revered Thai tradition. And although there were plenty of alcohol-fuelled men hanging around, I was pleased to see was not a single “farang” (foreigner) in sight outside of our group. One of the benefits of living in a rural town off the usual traveller circuit.  

Refusing to be intimidated by the hordes of Thai men surging towards the ring, waving hundred baht notes excitedly and getting slowly drunker as the night wore on, I plonked myself in prime position at the edge of the ring. Much to the intrigue and amusement of said men. With Omar close at hand to deter any roaming hands and to explain what on earth was going on, the fighting commenced.

Waiting for the match

The first battle was between two impossibly muscular 10(?) year olds, each with gritty determination imprinted on their young faces and a hefty entourage of coaches, masseuses and family members in their wake.

Water and massage break

Facing the enemy

Left hookin'

They also trailed the pungent and familiar (from my Frisbee tournament days) smell of Deep Heat, which cut through all other odours, even those of the sweaty bodies pressed up against the ring and the stale cigarette smoke emanating from eagerly chattering lips.

The level of skill and maturity exhibited by these young boy fighters was astonishing and I was immediately sucked in to this exhilarating, technical, and surprisingly beautiful combat sport. 

Deep concentration

Ready to pounce

Captive audience

Muay Thai is known as “the art of 8 limbs” due to the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins, and it’s extremely impressive. The concentration needed to pre-empt an impending blow while simultaneously attempting a clean strike to your opponent’s body is written all over the fighters’ faces. Yet there is also a cheeky arrogance that shines through too. The level of respect afforded to these fighters by Thai society is clearly reflected in their confident countenances and the swagger to their walks. They’re kind of a big deal and don’t they just know it.

Preparation

Face to face

Tattoos

As you probably know Thai people sure aren’t tall as a rule, but what they lack in altitude my god do they make up in attitude and magnificently primed muscles! The ten fighters that battled their butts off last night were perfect examples of what a human body can achieve when trained to the max. They push their bodies to the limits and can hardly walk by the end of the match. One guy was even carried off after being knocked out for a few seconds. KOs aside I imagine they've all woken up to a fair few bruises today, if not a couple of cracked ribs!