Muay Thai Fever
M U A Y T H A I F E V E R Gym in Chiang Mai, Thailand
About Muay Thai
What is Muay Thai?
Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that originated in Thailand. It utilizes powerful strikes, clinching techniques, and kicks, making it a formidable martial art. Below is a brief summary of how Muay Thai has progressed over the last hundred years
Muay Thai Before The Golden Era
Between 1919 and 1945, Muay Thai, also known as Thai boxing, underwent a significant transition. The traditional hemp hand wrapping was replaced by boxing gloves, and timed rounds were introduced along with a modern ring. While the fighting style of that era was not as refined as it is today, there were some notable fighters who mastered the art. Apidej Sit Huran, who competed in the 1960s, was renowned for his powerful kicks, which could break people's arms, while Poot Lor Lek dominated in the 1970s. Apidej Sit Huran was proclaimed the "fighter of the century" by the Thai King during that time period.
Muay Thai's Golden Era
The term "Golden Era" in Muay Thai and Thai boxing refers to the period between the 1980s and 1990s, specifically the Bangkok Stadium scene during that time. This period saw a convergence of factors, including economic wealth, successful promoters, TV advertising, and sponsorship, which led to a significant increase in fight purses. As a result, many professional fighters pursued Muay Thai careers, resulting in a highly competitive scene with credible contenders in all weight categories. Belts were changing hands regularly, with new champions being crowned every week. The Golden Era was a truly remarkable time to be involved in Muay Thai.
Muay Thai's Clinch Era
The Golden Era came to an end when gyms, fighters and gamblers realised they could take advantage of the Muay Thai scoring criteria and send fighters out to dominate superior fighters in the clinch. Fights became highly technical and it was often difficult for the casual Muay Thai fan to even know who had won. There were exceptions of course but the clinch era pushed on up to around the time of the closure of the original Lumpinee Stadium in 2014. In fact, on that last Lumpinee Swansong, the great Saenchai himself lost for a 3rd time against Petchboonchu who dominated the ring genius in the clinch.
Just a year prior to that Saenchai had suffered a defeat by another clinch / knee specialist, Yodvicha, who was still only 16 years old! So why didn't Petchboonchu & Yodvicha move on to the same fame and fortune as Saenchai? The answer is the popularity of Muay Thai with the MMA community and the advent of what some people call "Export Muay Thai."
Export Muay Thai
With the rise of MMA in the early 2000s, Muay Thai's popularity began to wane, as it was overshadowed by the new and exciting sport. However, many MMA fighters still studied the stand-up component of Muay Thai as part of their fight strategy.
In an effort to make Muay Thai more appealing to a global audience, some fight promotions introduced changes such as dramatic ring entrances, three-round fights, smaller gloves, media hype, and exciting press conferences. Clinch work was limited, and promotions like "Thai Fight," "Max Muay Thai," and more recently, "One." enjoyed some success. However, opinions are divided on whether these changes are watering down the art of Muay Thai or simply representing an evolution of the sport.
