1st muay thai fight

**catch22** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 7:53am

Originally Posted by oversteer

Yeah she certainly seems to have guts.

If you don't mind me asking, what's your involvement - just a friend? And is there any particular reason they're getting her to fight so soon?

I could see someone her own size, or a much better puncher, doing some damage if she doesn't get a little better at protecting her face.

She's my sister (hence the zealous interest). The fight on the 30th was arranged awhile ago. She's leaving the training camp in early November so it'll be the only fight she'll have for a good while. Having so little experience could get her into trouble, but she'll not be fighting 'out of her class'.

**Zencreative** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 8:28am

So she's training at Rawai MT?

I was there in March and saw that Thai girl fight a couple of times - both of which she lost. All credit to your sister for getting in the ring after 8 weeks (I've never competed so I'm honestly not trying to take anything away from her) but I was a bit suspcious that the fights were not entirely legit. To be fair, it's pretty hard to find fights for girls out there unless they are against Westeners from other camps, but I got the impression that the camp was a bit like a package holiday i.e. come and train for few weeks then have at fight at local stadium (and I'm sure the camp was getting a cut from them). There were a few guys who got banged up pretty badly which I think was down to lack of training. So, yes, tell her to keep her hands up ...

**catch22** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 8:48am

Originally Posted by Zencreative

So she's training at Rawai MT?

I was there in March and saw that Thai girl fight a couple of times - both of which she lost. All credit to your sister for getting in the ring after 8 weeks (I've never competed so I'm honestly not trying to take anything away from her) but I was a bit suspcious that the fights were not entirely legit. To be fair, it's pretty hard to find fights for girls out there unless they are against Westeners from other camps, but I got the impression that the camp was a bit like a package holiday i.e. come and train for few weeks then have at fight at local stadium (and I'm sure the camp was getting a cut from them). There were a few guys who got banged up pretty badly which I think was down to lack of training. So, yes, tell her to keep her hands up ...

The fights are legit, but if your going to let a novice fight you can't match them against a good experienced fighter. Also Size is an important factor as well, the Western girls tend to be bigger and at novice skill levels size, strength and fitness play a big role (they do at all levels but you get the point I'm making?)

**Zencreative** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 11:12am

Yes, I agree entirely about weight and stuff. My point, probably badly put, was that the Thai girl has been fighting since at least March (6 months ago) and I assume training before that. So is it right she's up against someone who's only been doing it for 8 weeks whcih is really a complete novice? I just wonder about how they arrange the fights - but I am a cynical bastard, and I know it's hard to make matches for women. As I said, I'm really not trying to take anything away from your sister - she's already acheived more than I ever have by getting in the ring. Just make sure she keeps her guard up.

**Anna Kovacs** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 12:45pm

Originally Posted by catch22

There's seven days till her next fight. She's working hard and hopefully progressing, but it seems to me a very short time between fights.

Relatively, yeh.

i've taken fights a week apart and had 3 fights in 2 days and stuff like that but ultimately I think it's better to train more and fight less. If she racks up a number of fights then soon novice girls more her skill level wont go near her because of the number next to her name and she'll possibly find herself faced with only people that have been training much longer. it doesnt seem to take long to run out of opponents in womens combat sports so i think if one wants to really be the best they can be it's best to pace themselves. Otherwise you wind up rematching the same girl 5 times just for the sake of being able to keep fighting.

In america, at least.

**catch22** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 1:39pm

Originally Posted by AnnaTrocity

Relatively, yeh.

i've taken fights a week apart and had 3 fights in 2 days and stuff like that but ultimately I think it's better to train more and fight less. If she racks up a number of fights then soon novice girls more her skill level wont go near her because of the number next to her name and she'll possibly find herself faced with only people that have been training much longer. it doesnt seem to take long to run out of opponents in womens combat sports so i think if one wants to really be the best they can be it's best to pace themselves. Otherwise you wind up rematching the same girl 5 times just for the sake of being able to keep fighting.

In america, at least.

This will be her last fight until sometime next year. She knows she's got a lot to learn and it's going to take hard time in the gym.

**Bahuyuddha** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 7:23pm

Bring her over to Bullshido! :)

**Eldarbong** · Posted On: 10/23/2007 10:19pm

Where do all these people who fight after training for only a few weeks/months train at? To me that is ridiculous, and the trainer must have no regard for the fighter.

**Bahuyuddha** · Posted On: 10/24/2007 1:59am

Originally Posted by Eldarbong

Where do all these people who fight after training for only a few weeks/months train at? To me that is ridiculous, and the trainer must have no regard for the fighter.

This particular camp is called Rawai, and it is in Phuket, Thailand (an island in the south). But many Muay Thai camps in Thailand will set you up with a fight if you ask them to, if you are training there for a while. Apparently it's the thing to do nowadays. Every time I've trained in Thailand (admittadly only twice, and only a couple weeks at a time at most), there have always been one or two guys training for a fight in the ring, and the camp facilitates matching them up against someone from another camp.

Usually they won't match you up with anyone any good unless you have a lot more experience than catch22's sister Gerri had. A total of 8 weeks training does sound a bit early to throw someone in the ring, and her opponent looked more experienced. For what it's worth, I'd say Gerri did pretty good, considering the length of time she's been training.

**catch22** · Posted On: 10/24/2007 4:15am

Originally Posted by Eldarbong

Where do all these people who fight after training for only a few weeks/months train at? To me that is ridiculous, and the trainer must have no regard for the fighter.

Aside from her being a novice and the technical issues (I am grateful for the input from posters on this thread) - she won. That right hand a couple of seconds before the other girl goes down was sweet. She took a fight that challenged her and won - the trainer gave her a match that she could have won or lost but not one where she was out of her depth. I'm proud of her.