Boxing Drills
(In this Photo: Fairtex BGV14 Painter, Fairtex BXS1 Leather Boxing Sticks)
The drills were simple. One two body hook. Rwin stood over the boxers. It was Petchwarin, a homegrown talent and a boxer from Nepal.
Drills like these are common in the world of boxing. The athletes line up. They hit the bag at the same time. The coach stands over them like a PE teacher watching junior high kids doing jumping jacks.
But Rwin isn’t just making the fighters sweat. He’s helping hone their technique. There is a sound to the strike. Ba da boom. Ba da boom. When you hit it right the bag sounds like a symphony.
And in the ring, you need just the right note for the percussion to hit. For one boxer to fall and see stars. For the other boxer to see the stars of victory.
Bring Your Kid To Work Day
(In this Photo: Fairtex Original Fight Team T-Shirt, Fairtex BGV1-Black)
Gyms aren’t just gyms, they are homes. The fighters at Fairtex live on campus. Their rooms and dorms are just a half block away.
Mr. Wong lives at the gym. The front desk. The foreigners.
The staff is the boxer’s wives. Yodnamchai’s wife works in the equipment department. She helps with sales.
Yodnamchai’s son stays with his grandparents. But sometimes he comes to the gym. Their room is near the campus. He wants to see his father. He wants to see what his father does. So Yodnamchai stops hitting pads for a moment to take care of his son. To help him slip on his shoes. To talk to him. To talk to his wife.
But then it’s back to work. Because the gym is a family office Yodnamchai needs to work to provide.
No More Fighting
His last fight was a knockout.
“I’ve quit fighting,” Kongdech said.
He was on the receiving end of a KO. This happens to boxers. At some point, they give up. The injuries are too much. The boredom of training gets to them. The fight just doesn’t go their way.
Kongdech’s career was good. He fought. He won, mainly. Then he broke his nose. He was knocked out a couple times in a row. He took a long break.
Then he came back. He fought in Macau. He fought at Lumpinee. The last fight was it though.
Being a trainer is easier. It’s more stable. It’s less money but it’s safer.
For some fighters that safety and comfort are enough. For others, they still want that adventure.
So “I’ve quit fighting,” actually means “I’m stopping for now.”
Time will tell with Kongdech.
Size L
(In this Photo: Fairtex HB6 6 Ft. Banana Bag)
Harris comes to the gym once or twice a year. He fights sometimes. Other times he just comes to train. His father owns a gym in the UK, The Dojo. Harris teaches at the gym. He’s coming into his own. The English lad is building out an outline presence with tutorials.
They’re both committed to the Fairtex brand. Harris stands at 177cm tall. He walks around at 72kg. He wears a size L.
“Shorts feel fine,” he said. “Plenty of room for kicking.”
The Thai Mullet
Thailand is a land of trends. When Krispy Kreme donuts came to the land of smiles people lined up for the sugary desserts. A small black market emerged for the circles of dough and sugar.
When Pokemon hit, it hit big. People walked around constantly with their phones open. Everyone hoped to catch a Pikachu.
It happens with food, with culture, and now it’s happening with haircuts. Several of the boxers at the gym are sporting the Thai Mullet.
The cut is reminiscent of 80’s America. It’s business in the front and party in the back. The sides are shaved down close to the ear. Champ, Guy, Ongbak, and others sport the cut.
When they shake their heads the locks dance around. Because Thailand is a land of fun and it’s a party in the back.
Fairtex For Life
Coach Man Man loves a few brands. The first and most bold is the Monster. The energy drink's logo is prominent on his chest.
On his hand is El Lorde.
“I worked at El Lorde for 20+ years,” he said. “After boxing, I became a trainer.”
Man Man fought for three years. His career didn’t go far though.
“I was training so much,” he said. “But the promotions were slow.”
He grew up in the same era as Manny Pacquiao. His boss was the same as the award winning fighter. But Man Man’s destiny didn’t align with the stars.
Now though there are many gyms and promoters in the Phillippines. Sandman, Omega, and El Lorde are a few of the many gyms and promotions in the country.
A few years ago Man Man came to Fairtex. It was a new opportunity for him. He was the first boxing trainer from the Philippines at the gym. It’s been over 5 years. He has a Thai girlfriend. He’s built a life here.
So he got the Fairtex logo tattooed on him.
Fight Predictions
(In this Photo: Fairtex Hand Wraps-Blue)
It’s a guessing game, deciding who is most likely to win. The Thais talk about the fights in terms of percentage. This boxer is 60% likely to win. This fighter is 70% likely to win. If they are very confident a boxer might be 80% likely to win.
Before training, as they wrap hands the boxers talk about the upcoming fights.
“I think Tengneung is 50-50 this weekend,” Ongbak said.
“It’s 40% for Tengneung,” Petchsongkom said. “The Russian is bigger and his boxing is okay.”
Percentages are reminders of how much odds and gambling play a part in the fights. Before Ferrari took on Karim at Lumpinee the trainers were looking at the odds. He was a 2-1 underdog. He had a 33% chance of winning.
When we gamble, when we estimate we make a prediction on a possible future. That future doesn’t always happen though. When we saw Ferrari lose we saw 66%.
The future is always uncertain. The fighters are just making bets on what will happen.
Author: Matt Lucas
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