[Kevin writing] One of the things we’ve tried to document through the Muay Thai Library project is just how closely Thailand’s Muay Thai has been historically woven together with a decided Western Boxing influence, which stretches back more than 100 years. One of the likely reasons why Thailand’s Muay Thai has lost some of its higher echelon skill level is that Boxing has eroded as an influence. Muay Thai fighters in the Golden Age boxed a lot, in the military, in leagues and professionally, and it permeated the muay.

A challenge today for a fighter looking to bring Boxing and Muay Thai together in their training, by training and fighting in actual boxing (I’m not talking about training hand “combos” on the mitts, something which is an increasing part of Soft-Power-influenced Muay Thai), is that actual Boxing and many styles of Muay Thai can have different internal dynamics. This difference in Thai history actually produced very creative syntheses. They are not in direct conflict with each other, necessarily, in fact Chatchai Sasakul who is in the Muay Thai Library many times and is the foremost Boxing Coach in Thailand, sees no conflict at all. These two arts are in sympathy. Chatchai can teach a full traditional Muay Thai which maps completely onto his Boxing philosophy, and back again.

Note, there are many ways to put Boxing in relationship to Muay Thai, and even more ways to train it. The most common is to create combinations passing from "Muay Thai strikes" to "boxing strikes" and back again. This film is on a very different kind of study and path. Instead of trying to erase or blend the differences between them, the notion is to preserve them, and get them talking to each other.

*A reason to preserve the system differences, and not just imitate boxing with hand combinations, is because often Golden Age Muay Thai fighters who were also boxers didn't really even throw a lot of punches (see the Somrak study linked further down). Rather, more than punches, Boxing imported movement, positional and rhythm differences that were grounded in its own style/system. These important qualities were developed through training Boxing itself, and in fighting in Boxing. It's best to learn the complete language.

This film is about Sylvie’s own investigation as a fighter, in particular to her own fighting style which has developed in the ring in approach 300 fights. As a forward, derning clinch fighter many of her internal dynamics are more linear, than the flexing, rotational muay that Chatchai developes. She’s been training with Chatchai in boxing for years now, and it has deeply influenced her understanding of Muay Thai, especially his weight transfer philosophy, but, there still is something of a divide. This experimental film study is about how we went about putting Chatchai’s boxing more directly in touch with the rhythms and internal dynamics of Muay Bouk clinch fighting. What we did was, and are still doing, is training weekly with Chatchai for an hour, and then driving over to Takrowlek Dejrat’s gym, and then training in his Muay Bouk fighting style while Chatchai is still fresh. We also stripped out some of Takrowlek's style to simplify the feeling of the connection between Chatchai’s boxing and Takrowlek’s Muay Bouk. We want to go from Chatchai’s rotational, weigh-transfer hands, to Takrowlek’s more linear, hands and knees together, with a view to clinch entry, and see what develops. It's like speaking two languages in succession. (It's important to note, Takrowlek's hand-heavy Muay Bouk style also grew out of a lineage that has had Western Boxing influence, as Dejrat gym has produced pro Boxers since the 1970s. It's just a different influsion style.)

The principle is not to solve the question of their technical relationship to each other, a solution which would be much too abstract, but rather to have Sylvie feel the differences, and to slowly work to synthesizing them, shifting between them when it starts to feel right. To put them in communication with each other. This is likely how Boxing itself influenced Muay Thai fighters in Thailand’s past, and the two languages started to cross-pollinate. We are just doing it in a more artificial, intentional way. Feel the first one for a hour, feel the second one for an hour. Do hands with rotations, do hands and knees with a view to clinch entry in a much more linear fashion. Where do they connect? Where does it feel like a transition or a blurring between dynamics is calling to you?

As mentioned, we also have for now removed kicks and elbows from Takrowlek’s Muay Bouk style in our training (he probably thinks we are crazy), just to pair down the vocabulary, so not get too confused by a large menu of strike choices,. We are pruning the plant first here. Takrowlek uses his kicks to corral the opponent. In these cases it is done with footwork and defensive checks instead. In his style uses elbows to compliment his hands and clinch, at the closest range.

The experimental nature of this film study is that I’ve cut back and forth between the two sessions so that you can also start to see - and possibly intuit - the differences in the shapes being called forth by each kru. As you move between them, discover for yourself how they relate and even more importantly are in tension. There is no right answer to this. It isn’t about a technical or even “technique” solve. It’s about feeling your way between them once you can identify their essences. When the body discovers the pathways between things of difference it will trust and use those pathways, and they become creative expressions of the fighter themselves.

Muay Thai and Boxing Study Resources

Below is some material we’ve put together on Boxing and Muay Thai in history, and the sessions in the Muay Thai Library that feed this understanding. Also, be sure to look at the Takrowlek session so you can see the full grammar of his muay. As said, what Sylvie is working with is a paired down version so to emphasize particular possible connection points, especially the shifting between hands and knees, and from hands to clinch entry.

click here to watch this short clip of 1936 boxing & Muay Thai bagwork

click here to watch this 6 minute study of Samarn Dilokvilas, Thailand's best Muay Thai fighter in 1936 and a top SEA circuit professional boxer.

You can see this film study of Somrak, one of Thailand's primer boxers facing Boonlai. (you can see the full fight video here. It's one of the most instructive fights on Boxing in the Golden Age of Muay Thai that you'll see, as Somrak who would win Olympic Gold as a Boxer a few years later, hardly throws a punch until he's far ahead and protecting his lead. The influence of Boxing wasn't necessarily seen in the amount of punches thrown in the Golden Age, but rather in movement and position.

#143 Takrowlek Dejrat - Master of the Low Kick (90 min) watch it here 

One of the great low kicking fighters of the Golden Age teaches his squared up, pressuring, Muay Beuk fight philosophy which uses an extremely fast, vertical low kicking technique that keeps the opponent exactly where you want them. This punishing style, built on defense and ring control is extremely effective, using techniques that are not often taught. Study the low kick in a way you haven't seen before.

#151 Chatchai Sasakul #5 - Developing Feeling in Hands (Muay Thai & Boxing) (1 hr, 32 min) watch it here

Perhaps no other fighter in the Library is as loved and learned from than Chatchai. He has a gift for making beautiful corrections to technique & balance that impact the whole fighting style. This session is all about how to develop feeling in your hands, learning from Thailand's best Boxing Coach, and long time Golden Age Muay Thai fighter.

Bonus Session 5: Chatchai Sasakul Southpaw Hands | 52 min - watch it here

Chatchai's stance and striking system is not only ideal for boxing - he was  the WBC Flyweight World Champion in 1997 - it instills a basic weight transfer balance that can dramatically improve your Muay Thai. Watch it being installed on me for the first time from the Southpaw stance.

#109 Chatchai Sasakul 3 - Developing Rhythm & Precision (1 hr, 46 min) watch it here

The best boxing coach in Thailand, former WBC World Champions Chatchai Sasakul, teaches the importance of rhythm and precision. Chatchai's instruction brings western boxing technique to Thailand's Muay Thai, as he was also a Golden Age stadium fighter.

#64 Chatchai Sasakul 2 - Elements of Boxing (72 min) watch it here

Chatchai is not only a former WBC world champion, he also is the recipient of Thailand's Coach of the Year. He is one of the great striking coaches in the world, and in this session he breaks down all the basics from the footwork on up. Nobody has a more beautiful and potent hands foundation. Watch and learn from a master.

#14 Chatchai Sasakul 1 - Perfecting Hands (106 min) watch it here

Former WBC world boxing champion at Flyweight, and winner of Best Coach of the Year in Thailand, Chatchai in this nearly 2 hours of video makes micro adjustment after micro adjustment, honing in pristine technique in the basic strikes of boxing, for use in Muay Thai. It's all about weight transfer.

There are lots of boxers in the Muay Thai Library project. FOTY Samson is a good one to study:

Samson (1991):  #41  Samson Isaan 1 - The Art of Dern Fighting (64 min) watch it here  and Samson Isaan 2 - Muay Khao & Western Boxing Excellence (59 min) watch it here  and #116 Samson Isaan 3 - Dern Pressure Fighting & Defense (44 min) watch it here #123 Samson Isaan 4 - Secrets Of His Pressure Fighting (122 min) watch it here

#165 Arjan Gimyu Ruekchai - Kru Royalty | Pocket Pressure With Smooth Transitions Between Boxing & Muay Thai (64 min) watch it here

#163 Kongtoranee Payakaroon #2 - The Left Hook, Advancing Attack, Weapons in Bagwork (65 mins) watch it here

#162 Songkram Por. Paoin - Balanced Pressure Fighting in Sets as a Small Fighter (84 mins) watch it here

#161 Muangchai Kittikasem - The Straight & the Rotational (60 min) watch it here

#159 Lakhin Wassantasit #2 | The Art of Close Power Fighting - Muay Maat (1 hr, 23 mins) watch it here

#155 - Relaxing With Power | Khaosai Galaxy (1 hr, 12 mins) watch it here

#152 Bangsaen Tor. Kotsan #2 | High Level Ruup & Control Over Space (Boxing & Muay Thai) (57 min) watch it here

#148 Anantasak Panyuthapum | Boxing, Elbows and The Feet (80 min) watch it here

#147 Nungubon Sitlertchai - Explosive Striking & Control Over Space (1 hr, 40 min) watch it here

#140 Weerapol Sahaprom - Symmetry and Power in Boxing & Muay Thai (1 hr, 40 min) watch it here or podcast here 

#133 Bangsaen Tor. Kotsan - Central Core, Boxing & Muay Thai (85 min) watch it here, podcast here

#130 Sagat Petchyindee #5 - The Coil and the Uppercut (70 min) watch it here

#115 Eagle Den Junlaphan 2 - Boxing Within Muay Thai (66 min) watch it here

#95 Wangchannoi Sor. Palangchai #2 - The Secret Powers of a Cool Heart (77 min) watch it here

#94 Wangchannoi Palangchai #1 - Deadly Step Counter Fighting (70 min) - watch it here

#93 WBC Champ "Eagle" Den Junlaphan  1 - The Roots of His Boxing Movement (63 min) - watch it here

#88 Samransak Muangsurin - Muay Maat Legend Keys to Powerful Hands (61 min) watch it here

#75 Lakhin Wasantasit #1 - Boxing & Muay Thai Organized Destruction (76 min) watch it here

#71 Napapol Giatsakchokchai - Powerful Boxing For Muay Thai (81 min) watch it here

#69 Sagat Petchyindee 4 - Muay Maat Tigers & Snakes (67 min) watch it here

#60 Sagat Petchindee 3 - All the Strikes Tuned and Dangerous (101 min) watch it here

#38 Sagat Petchyindee 2 - Maximum Damage (61 min) watch it here

#37 Kongtoranee Payakaroon - Power In The Hands (89 min) watch it here

#35 Yodsanan Sityodtong - Southpaw Tactics & Power (86 min) watch it here

#34 Samart Payakaroon - Balance, Balance, Balance! (81 min) watch it here

#28 Jaroenthong Kiatbanchong - Femeu Muay Thai Hands (50 min) watch it here

#26 Sagat Petchyindee 1 - Explosive Power (57 min) watch it here

For a deeper dive you can check out this article discussion of the film evidence we have from 1936, and the relationship Thailand's Muay Thai had with the SEA boxing circuit. It is found on our Patreon supported Muay Thai forum. This is historically when Muay Thai and Western Boxing was really experiencing its first synthesis in fighter's styles.

Bringing Boxing and Muay Thai Together: a Chatchai & Takrowlek film study (YouTube)