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The rapid pace of the evening is followed by the headman's fight- a three round bout between two men in their fifties. Spectators cheer enthusiastically as both men's gloves are raised in victory.
Kem's body shines. He has been rubbed down with boxing liniment to loosen-up and promote a faster sweat. Vaseline has been applied about his face and neck. Another knock-out fight makes way for the evenings main event. Money changes hands between each fight - even between individual rounds. Gambling is an intrinsic part of the boxing night. Men can be observed gambling on the toss of a coin as they cue to enter a stadium. Fighters commonly wager on themselves what they can afford to supplement their winnings.
Kem's classic ram-muay gives him a final stretch. This is his second day off from training. Yesterday he received a massage from a fellow boxer as the others trained. He stands a couple of inches shorter than the current champion. His weight is in his legs and his back, that spreads as he takes his stance. They move about each other in rhythm to the music, mutual respect is evident in the care with which they test reactions.
Combinations are brief. Between rounds Taywin and Chamlang vigorously rub down Kem's limbs, pausing to mime with advice. Others would have soon been dispatched by Kem's leg kicks - I've seen him knock them out in such fashion - but the opponent nods and smiles to salute the strikes and moves in again.
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