Damian Mavis
Master Black Belt
Ok, first off in case you Muay Thai people don't read the general section I have a bunch of photos from the first week and a half of my trip up on my website for you to look at.
4 nights ago my buddy and I took a ferry with one of the trainers to a neighbouring Island for him to fight. This Island is a little different that the others because less tourists go here and it is more preserved than the others. That means theres alot more Thai's here than the others. This also means that he had to fight in front of a large crowd of Thai people as opposed to mostly foreigners like the other Islands...that can be very intimidating. BUT! It was also the night before the Full Moon party which does attract alot of tourists to that Island once a month so there was a fair share of foreigners as well. Basically there was a big showing to watch. On top of that he was the only foreign fighter ALL NIGHT so he got alot of attention.
I was happy that night because I got to be one of his corner men. I didn't realise how exciting it would be just to be up there helping and giving him advice.. I had to give him advice since our trainers english sucked butt (especially when hes screaming at you) and my buddy couldnt understand a word of what he was saying but he looked right and me and thanked me for what I was telling him between rounds. It was quite an honour to be helping him in what was probably a huge event in his life.
Now then... how did he do.... He got knocked out at least 3 times in the first round...it was pretty ugly. His opponent was a Thai guy about the same size but a little taller and alot better. I was sure my friend was going to lose in the first 2 rounds. Amazingly enough after several standing 8 counts my buddy persevered and made it to the 3rd round. At this point my friend just starting laying into the Thai guy with right crosses over and over again. Some would hit square and others would miss or get slipped with a counter. This round was pretty even.
The 4th round was nuts, the crowd was going insane because the foreign fighter that was getting killed in the first 2 rounds was now making a huge comeback. The crowd was cheering and roaring louder than they had for anybody all night long, this is including all the Thai people watching. They all loved it. My buddy was tired but relentless. The Thai guy was backing up alot this round and eating right cross after right cross. He went down several times and got back up for some standing 8 counts. It was a real brawl at this point. My buddy got kicked in the head at least 4 times this round but he wouldnt be stopped, he just kept pushing in and punching with the occasional low leg kick. Did I mention yet that both fighters were wearing 6 OUNCE GLOVES?! Basically that's damn close to bare knuckle for guys in the 150 to 160 pound range. The reason for this is all the other fights that night had been guys around 100 pounds so they only brought little people gloves.
The corner for the Thai guy should not have let him come back in for the 5th round... he was tired with ZERO defence and my friend creamed him with his beloved right cross's. My buddy just wouldnt stop until he dropped and dropped again. After the second knockout this round the ref called the fight and my friend won. It was so exciting I cant describe what it was like and I was just the corner man.
Basically my friend won with toughness and perseverance, he took a serious beating for that win and he deserved it.
The whole thing would have been perfect but the joy of winning was dampened when we saw how badly the other guy was hurt..... he was lying in his corner at this point with his eyes closed and it looked like he pooped his pants.... then when they got him over to the doctor he just sat there with his eyes closed for like an hour..leaning forward occasionally to vomit. He must have had a bad concussion. We were happy about the whole night but a little angry that they let him fight so long when he was taking such a beating, I guess they figured he did so well at first that he could still win no matter what.
I swear half of Europe came over to congratulate him and shake his hand, all the foreigners were happy as hell.
It's a big deal to fight in Thailand and it's an experience my friend will probably never forget.
Pictures of his fight will be on my website next week.
Damian Mavis
Honour TKD
4 nights ago my buddy and I took a ferry with one of the trainers to a neighbouring Island for him to fight. This Island is a little different that the others because less tourists go here and it is more preserved than the others. That means theres alot more Thai's here than the others. This also means that he had to fight in front of a large crowd of Thai people as opposed to mostly foreigners like the other Islands...that can be very intimidating. BUT! It was also the night before the Full Moon party which does attract alot of tourists to that Island once a month so there was a fair share of foreigners as well. Basically there was a big showing to watch. On top of that he was the only foreign fighter ALL NIGHT so he got alot of attention.
I was happy that night because I got to be one of his corner men. I didn't realise how exciting it would be just to be up there helping and giving him advice.. I had to give him advice since our trainers english sucked butt (especially when hes screaming at you) and my buddy couldnt understand a word of what he was saying but he looked right and me and thanked me for what I was telling him between rounds. It was quite an honour to be helping him in what was probably a huge event in his life.
Now then... how did he do.... He got knocked out at least 3 times in the first round...it was pretty ugly. His opponent was a Thai guy about the same size but a little taller and alot better. I was sure my friend was going to lose in the first 2 rounds. Amazingly enough after several standing 8 counts my buddy persevered and made it to the 3rd round. At this point my friend just starting laying into the Thai guy with right crosses over and over again. Some would hit square and others would miss or get slipped with a counter. This round was pretty even.
The 4th round was nuts, the crowd was going insane because the foreign fighter that was getting killed in the first 2 rounds was now making a huge comeback. The crowd was cheering and roaring louder than they had for anybody all night long, this is including all the Thai people watching. They all loved it. My buddy was tired but relentless. The Thai guy was backing up alot this round and eating right cross after right cross. He went down several times and got back up for some standing 8 counts. It was a real brawl at this point. My buddy got kicked in the head at least 4 times this round but he wouldnt be stopped, he just kept pushing in and punching with the occasional low leg kick. Did I mention yet that both fighters were wearing 6 OUNCE GLOVES?! Basically that's damn close to bare knuckle for guys in the 150 to 160 pound range. The reason for this is all the other fights that night had been guys around 100 pounds so they only brought little people gloves.
The corner for the Thai guy should not have let him come back in for the 5th round... he was tired with ZERO defence and my friend creamed him with his beloved right cross's. My buddy just wouldnt stop until he dropped and dropped again. After the second knockout this round the ref called the fight and my friend won. It was so exciting I cant describe what it was like and I was just the corner man.
Basically my friend won with toughness and perseverance, he took a serious beating for that win and he deserved it.
The whole thing would have been perfect but the joy of winning was dampened when we saw how badly the other guy was hurt..... he was lying in his corner at this point with his eyes closed and it looked like he pooped his pants.... then when they got him over to the doctor he just sat there with his eyes closed for like an hour..leaning forward occasionally to vomit. He must have had a bad concussion. We were happy about the whole night but a little angry that they let him fight so long when he was taking such a beating, I guess they figured he did so well at first that he could still win no matter what.
I swear half of Europe came over to congratulate him and shake his hand, all the foreigners were happy as hell.
It's a big deal to fight in Thailand and it's an experience my friend will probably never forget.
Pictures of his fight will be on my website next week.
Damian Mavis
Honour TKD
