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Welcome once again to our Camp News update, this time round I have four fights to report on, some interesting fights coming up, Training Seminars in England, and a word about the new Camp that has opened in Chiangmai.
First though on the fight front, Eric Wu, from Toronto, Canada and JR, on of our Thai lads fought at the Barbeer Centre on Friday 3rd August. Though the Barbeer centre is usually just for the tourists on this night it was a proper Muay Thai fight night.
In the ring first for us was JR, he was up against Nang from Lampang, in what was to be the third fight between the two of them, and as Jr had won the previous two, Nang was determined to change the result this time round.
The first two rounds started fast and furious with Nang holding the upper hand putting JR down twice in the second round with powerful low kicks, a measure of revenge from their previous fight where JR won through low kicks.
But in the third and fourth rounds JR turned on the style and was able to cleanly throw Nang to the floor from the clinch, delivered the sharper kicks and knees, as well as getting an eight count from a hard right hook. Nang came back in the fifth and scored well with knees to make the fight very close, both camps thinking they had won but the decision went to JR to make it three wins against Nang.
Two fights later it was Erics' turn. Eric who trains out of Siam #1 Gym, under Ajarn Suchart, in Toronto had had three fights previously in Canada but was entering the ring in Thailand for the first time. Though he out weighed his opponent by about 5 pounds the Thai lad had very strong leg kicks and a sharp pair of hands. He was able to put Eric on the floor a couple of times in the first and second rounds while avoiding several punches to the head himself. In the third Eric began to find his range and landed a few good kicks to the mid section following up with good clean punches which rocked his opponent. The fourth had much of the same until Eric landed a hard knee to the mid section and the referee stepped in to halt the fight. Eric took a well deserved win and though he had little memory of the fight afterwards it was there for him to view on the video the next day.
Chun, one of our older fighters, who now concentrates more on his studies at college than his fighting, took on a fight in Lamphun, a town just south of Chiangmai on a weeks notice. He was up against a much taller opponent call Pattin, from Lampang. Chun did very well in the first three rounds keeping his opponent at bay with his shifting side kick that he has perfected over the years but in the last two rounds his lack of regular training took its toll and he was unable to maintain the momentum of the earlier rounds losing to a decision after five rounds.
Chuns' fighting days are now basically over but he has just received an offer to go to the city of Guangzhou in China to work as a Muay Thai Trainer for the next six months. He will leaving us in the next few weeks and though we will miss him very much this is an excellent opportunity for him and we all wish him the best of luck.
The last fight for this report was on Friday 10th August. One of our new lads Jin, a 14 year old, who joined us about 2 months ago was entering the ring for his first fight and what a fight it turn out to be. Jins opponent had had only two fights but was at least half a head taller and after the first two rounds it looked like Jin was going to lose as the taller lad, though taking some good punches from Jin, was landing plenty of telling knees with his long legs and Jin seemed to be wilting fast. But in the third Jin dug deep as his opponent began to tire and with all of us from the camp shouting our lungs out, was able to regain some control.
Though both lads were tired and running on pure heart in the fourth round Jin landed a strong straight to the solar plexus that shook his opponent and another minute later landed another straight punch but this time to the jaw and followed through with a knee and that was it, Jin the winner by KO. We all had shouted ourselves hoarse but there were smiles all round and Jins father was very happy. Jin himself was fine with only a sore chest from all the knees but after a few days off he was back at training today.
News now of upcoming fights. Both Seemok and Boon who are still in Bangkok will now be fighting at Ratchajdamnern Stadium on the 30th of August. This is a definite now, barring any injury, after having had earlier fights cancelled twice. Seemok returned to Chiangmai for a short visit just recently and said that both Boon and Kem were training hard in Bangkok but they missed home very much.
The big news of the month for our foreigners is an Amateur Muay Thai Competition in Kazakhstan. It is all being laid on for the fighters from Bangkok to Kazakhstan and back again. We are sending 10 fighters from all over the world to compete in this competition:
Dan Fine, South Africa
Peter Aberdeen, New Zealand
Joseph Grier, Canada
Ahmed Ait, Morroco
Jamie Luengo, Spain
Simon Corner, UK
Jerry Anderson, USA
Carla Fox, USA
Joe Hutton, UK
Eric Storm, USA
Some of these competitors have had several fights before but many are going to compete for the first time, but training has been good and hard and they are all ready, willing and looking forward to the trip. Pom and Taywin will be accompanying them as Manager and Trainer and they will be joining up and travelling with many other fighters from camps around Thailand as well as fighters coming in from Korea and Singapore. It should be an interesting trip with the chance to see a rarely visited part of the world.
Our top foreigner, Eddie De Nobrega from Canada, is missing out on the Kazakhstan fights due to a commitment to fight on a major promotion here in the North on the 5th September during the Lamyai Festival in Lamphun. It will be a big fight for Eddie and a welcome return to the ring after a long lay off.
And Joey Grier will be heading directly to China after his return from Kazakhstan to take part in a tournament of Kung Fu vs Muay Thai. The Chinese are begining to show a lot of interest in Muay Thai and we will be looking forward to hearing all about this competition.
News from overseas this time comes from Chris White in Perth. After he had waited for weeks to get fights he has suddenly been offer three in quick succession, one being in Japan. Unfortunately he had to turn down the Japan fight due to his earlier commitment and he will now be fighting on the 25th August against a fighter from New Zealand and then will be taking on a Thai fighter on the 8th September. Chris has got his work cut out for himself now and he is looking forward to both fights. The best of luck Chris and we look
forward to hearing all the news.
In addition to Chun going to China to teach, Doi, one of our senior Trainers and Den, one of our older fighters have been invited to England by Mike Duffy of Knuckles Muay Thai in Oldham, Grt. Manchester. Mike has been, with some of his students, to train with us in the past and has enjoyed the training of Doi so much that due to popular demand has asked if Doi would come and spend a month in England. At the same time Den will be fighting on Mikes' promotion on the 22nd September. He will be up against Maurice Riley, a Britsh fighter who holds several titles in England. Den will also be conducting some training seminars after he has fought. Both den and Doi are looking forward to their visit to England and for me it is one more of my dreams come true, to be able to give the opportunity to my Trainers and boxers to see the part of the world where I come from.
Some other bits of news now, the mountain run record has been broken, sorry Dave, your record stood for only five weeks before Ahmed came back from his holiday to Phuket and ran the mountain in an astonishing time of 31:55 cutting more than a minute from the record. Ahmed reckons he can still improve on this time too!
We now have some competition in the form of a new Muay Thai Camp opened just down the road from us. Derry McCourt, a friend of mine and one of the first people to come and train with us at Lanna Muay Thai camp eight years ago has opened up "Chiangmai Olympia". Derry is an excellent Tae Kwon Doist and has trained periodical with us over the years, having fought a few times here in Chiangmai and has now finally followed up on a dream of his to open a Muay Thai Camp. He has many years of hard work ahead to build up his Thai team but we are looking forward to the competition we will have from his larger foreigners. Good luck Derry, with your Gym, see you in the ring!!!
Finally the last word for this report is again about the big C. I would like to thank all those who have continued to wish me well in my fight against this disease. I am now in my second week of Radiation Treatment, I attend the hosiptal, as an outpatient, on a daily basis to receive the treatment and so far the side affects are very tender lower gums, inner cheeks and tongue, it makes eating a delicate affair and absolutely nothing hot or spicy. And just to complicate things I have come down with Tonsilitis but it is not affecting the training too much and I am still working all the fighters at the Camp hard, just cannot call out the rounds to loud!!!!
But there are many ways of teaching and I am finding new methods as I adjust to all these small things that come along to test ones' determination. As all trainers and teachers should do, I continue to learn and grow with every new situation or obstacle that is placed in my path. Our students, old and new, also continue to be part of the learning curve with everyone having something, no matter how small, to offer in the big picture of life and Muay Thai. One should never stop learning, it is one of the great pleasures of life.
Until next time all the best to everyone in their training, whether for fighting or for life, stay true......Andy
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