Fights W/O Gloves

[William]

I have about 70 or 80 live Muay Thai bouts from Thailand on video. I also managed to get two outdoor festivals on tape where all the bouts are with out gloves (Just hand wraps). Since I don't speak or read Thai, I don't know what festival this is? Does anyone have an idea?


William

[Tim Mousel]

Where did you get the handwrap only fights? I'd be interested in seeing those!

Tim

[chalambok]

muay Kacheuk

My apologies to William, with whom I have discussed this before. Muay Kacheuk is the historical term for fighting with ropes, or abrasive strips of hemp, to be exact, wrapped around the hands, wrists and forearms. There is a complicated method of tying these so the knots start on the knuckles and cross the back of the hand to the inside of the forearms, so that when you grasp your opponent you can rub or scratch his neck with the knots, which incidentally are also good for pressure-point manipulation. Many of the modern fights involve cross-border contests between Burmese and Thais and, rarely, Laotians, held in temple fairs across the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia. Increasingly foreigners are showing up to try their hand at this modern gladitorial grappling of the ungloved kind (my apologies to Steve Rosse of the Bangkok Post). If you watch these you will note some fighters who throw round punches in order to get their forearms against their opponent; this is very old-style, as it were. Traditionally the Burmese fight this way against the Thais, and invariably lose because of this outdated form. But, it is more historically correct and reflects the roots of muay Thai and Krabi-Krabong which seem to be alive in Myanmar still. As in many things involved with historical muay Thai, muay Kacheuk is illegal and viewed as very inhumane because of the danger. And like all of the good fights which are available nowadays, the best place to find these tapes is your local Thai market, or if you have one near you, the local Thai Buddhist temple. Good luck, you will need it!

[William]

I remember those discussions well. I miss our conversations just as much as the training. I just couldn't recall the name of the particular festival that I have on video.

I'll tell you, I was lucky to have that Thai market so close to home. I haven't been able to find one here yet.

William

[jonprc]

ive picked up a couple of those tapes off of ebay.
they seem to be pretty common on there, as there's always at least one or two "bareknuckle" tapes for sale.