Boxing in phuket

Boranbkk that remains a quality post.

Freakzilla, props for your post in this thread as well, cheers :good

 

I would love to go .Some good posts in this thread .Need a job though big time but i'm not 100 percent sure what I want to do yet .There's a thai club in my hometown I go to the boxing gym though had 1 or 2 thai sessions also an mma gym .I was looking .
Heres an email I sent i'll copy and paste it .

I am interested in the Muay Thai fighter course this one , link .I'm just wondering roughly how long it would take to get ready for a fight .
I have some boxing experience and have done a we bit of thai .If I could in a couple of weeks it would be great but I don't know .
http://www.tigermuaythai.com/training/muay-thai/fight-muay-thai-in-thailand.html

Reply to me
It really depends on your progress and on your current level. Once you are here the trainers will asses you and put you up for a fight based on your current level.

Cheers


TIGER MUAY THAI & MMA TRAINING CAMP
WEBSITES
www.tigermuaythai.com
www.fightingthai.com
www.tigermuaythai.tv
www.mmaphuket.com
www.islandmuaythai.com
www.magicalray.com

 

Cheers for that post was really interesting. Been thinking loads about going out there for a more boxing based one than MT on my way back from oz.

 

I'm wary of farang getting booked to fight based on a few weeks training at the camp, for numerous reasons.

Boranbkk will know much more than me.

 

Well it depends what you're after and after looking at those websites I'd run for the hills. But I'm a total Thaitard and purist. Too me they look like the McDonald's of MT gyms in Thailand. But to be honest most visible gyms in Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Chang Mai and near the Khao San are going to be a well worn fast food version of the real McCoy.

Over the last 10 years since the MMA explosion western styled fusion MT gyms have exploded and surpprise surprise it's linked to the tourist areas. The MT pilgrimage has become a bit played out and well used. ie arrive, train in a high tempo enviroment (very unauthentic) for a few weeks, then fight an unfit has been who now drives a taxi, win and then fly home mission acomplished with an iPhone full of clips and photos to show your mates how you kicked the **** out of Tong Po for 5 rounds. Maybe you learn a trick or two, maybe you get a vague taste of the real Mcoy, but how beneficial is it really? You'll have a great time, meet some good people, probably get laid (alot) but in terms of your development as a fighter how authentic was it an did you benefit any? As I said before it depends on what you're looking for.

As I alluded to in my longer post on the last page get off the beaten track a bit, stay in BKK the centre of the MT world or go up to Issan or the deep South anywhere but the beaches and islands, the country is crammed with authentc gyms that'll turn you into a wrecking machine if you give them time. Just stay away from tourists, shiny signs and watered down curries!

I can't describe to you how unauthentic those kind of gyms are. Your stay maybe more uncomfortable in the "real"gym, you may get lonely and you may get matched abit tougher against a proper fighter and proabaly lose your 1st fight or so but you'll learn so much much much more.

About match ups unless you're a real prospect it's unlikely these days that you'll be over matched like in the past however be aware that if you train in a rural area you are a bit of a commodity being a farang so they may keep trying to get you in the ring even if you may not be ready, but if you feel strong and the training is good enough go for it, that's what your there for, doesn't mattter if you win or lose!

 

Again, great post.

 

Go to Cambodia and train in the art of Khmer fighting instead. Older than thai boxing and a much more profound cultural experience.

 

And yet the Thai's batter 'em.

Any info' on Khmer fighting? Interested in Oriental combat.

 

I caught a bit of it over there, they let westerners in free of charge at the old stadium in Phnom Penh. To be honest mate i enjoyed myself but i just watched didnt take part and im not an expert. Is that right that the thai lads always batter the khmers?

 

Yeah Flea's right, the Khmer boys get bashed up by their Thai brothers 99% of the time and the whole sport is light years behind Thailand, but that's only to be expected given what Cambodia has been through over the last 50 years. I know Cambodia well due to my business and to say training in Cambodia is “a much more profound cultural experience” is utter dooh dooh. Culturally they are almost identical except for a few variations on similar ideas and things, the biggest cultural differences are the ones the French introduced in the 19thC. Many people forget Thailand was part of Cambodia for 600 years and then vice versa Cambodia was a vassal for Thailand for many hundreds of years, they are closer to each other culturally and ethnically than the Welsh, Scots and the English.

Advising fighters to go and train Muay Thai or Kun Khmer in Cambodia is not good advice particularly short stayers as they lack anywhere near the history, depth and infrastructure of the well-oiled machine that’s the Thai fight business. I’m sure they have a few great gyms in Cambodia, but I fear that most would be lower grade imitation versions of what’s on offer in Thailand in terms of depth of sparring, trainers, fight experience, knowledge etc etc etc. I’m not saying you can’t find a good gym in Cambodia and the experience wouldn’t be great (it’d probably be really interesting), but it’d be like sending a football team to train in Belgium. Most gyms in Thailand and there are literally thousands are not like the ones posted in this thread that you find in all the tourist areas, and for boxers and short stay MMA and MT guys there’s nothing particularly wrong with them I suppose, but for MT they are a quick fix, like Thai food in your pub, all I’m saying is if you’re after MT it’s so easy to find the real McCoy where with every breath you take you’re learning the right way to do it.

And let’s be absolutely clear Kun Khmer is the same as Muay Thai neither is older than the other, that’s just modern regional competitive hatred and ignorance you see often see in politics from both sides. Buakaw although thoroughly Thai by nationality, arguable Thailand’s most famous MT fighter to date is from Surin so he’s ethnically Khmer Issan as opposed to Lao Issan or Malay Thai etc etc. Many many great Thai fighters are from Sisaket, Buriram and other neighbouring provinces of Issan that touch modern day Cambodia. Essentially the same people historically so all this talk about Muay Boran, Kun Khmer etc etc is all pants and has all just come about since Jah Panom made the Ong Bak movies, though I love Jah Panom, he’s basically a Kung Fu guy not really a Muay Thai guy and the over importance of Muay Boran and regional differences in the same fighting art have been massively over blown and exaggerated and mostly by foreigners. Just cos Floyd fights defensively and Pac fight aggressively doesn’t mean it’s a different sport just a stylistic difference within the same sport. They all are the same and basically come out of the old battlefield art of Krabi Krabong, same as MT but with two swords.

(Sorry about the slightly of topic rant :rant and no offence meant to Hatton’s Hook, just hear that stuff way too often).

 

None taken buddy and an interesting read. Im only going off a 9 week trip to the area last year so you'll obviuosly know more about it than me. I must admit though i found the countries quite different in alot of ways.

 

Sounds like you had a great trip, sure there are diffrences but alot are to do with differences that come form lack develpment as oppossed to ancient variation and very much the Chinese influence and influx of the last 100 years which Thailand has had more of due to it's stability. Rural Thailand and rural Cambodia are very very similar, just sepereated by a little bit of stability and wealth, but not alot.

Anyway glad you didn't take it wrong like some of the nut jobs in the main forum.

 

Nah not at all mate always up for a bit of knowledge, especially regards that part of the world as i had the time of my life.I need to go back and do it prroperly really, i spent a good 5 weeks in cambodia cos a mate from home lives there and although i loved it i didnt leave enough time to see as much of Thailand as i wouldve liked and i completely missed out on Vietnam and Laos.
The other regret is i didnt see any fighting in thailand as i was too busy getting off my trumpet.

 

boranbkk ;

Have u trained at the Fairtex centre in Pattaya mate ??

 

I know of it Win.

Two things; Pattaya is impossible to get any work done in.

Also, Sityodtong is in Pattaya but outside of the city. Two training sessions a day if you want and, as Boranbkk will confirm, probably the most successful camp of all time (Payakaroon Brothers for just two ATGs from that gym)

Fairtex is very commercial but you will always get one-on-one and they will take care of you (I've heard) I've been there but not trained.

Their equipment is sublime though! Make sure to check out the shop :deal

I'm pretty sure you've got a missus, but if you're going to Pattaya makes sure she never leaves your side You will have no chance otherwise no matter what your integrity as a man :rofl