Written by Jonny Betts, Thursday 5th Apr 2012
Fights in Phang Nga

Yesterday I traveled up to Phang Nga (the neighbor province to Phuket) to watch Fahkanong fight. Fahkanong (better known as Nong at the gym), was coming off a big KO win against the highly rated fighter “Tee U.S” in his last fight. The event in Phang Nga was organized by one of the biggest and most famous promoters in Muay Thai, OneSongchai, and originally was meant to be aired on TV (although for reasons I’m still not sure about it did not go on TV in the end).

Nong was matched up with Yodthongchai Tor Silichai, a big name fighter who is ranked number 3 at Rajadamnern stadium. The fight was matched at 108 pounds, which is heavier than Nong’s normal fight weight of 105 lbs and it was clear at the weigh in that Yodthongchai had a size advantage over Nong.

Yodthongchai is the student of Muay Thai legend Thongchai Tor Silichai, who has a huge record of accomplishments including Lumpini and Rajadamnern titles and winning the fighter of the year award in 2001. Amazingly he still fights at the big stadiums in Bangkok at over 40 years old! It was very cool to get to meet him in person.

The event took place at a temple fair, the place was packed and had a great atmosphere about it. The fights started at around 9pm. There was a crazy mix of fights on the card, some of the matches were between fighters who regularly fight in the big stadiums in BKK, while others were comedy brawls between Burmese immigrants who work at the Phang Nga docks. Both kind of fights are entertaining but I prefer the serious Muay Thai

Nong’s fight was the main event, and it definitely lived up to the hype. Nong was the underdog going into the fight as he was smaller than Yodthongchai and Nong hasn’t fought in the big stadiums in BKK in many years, due to him working in Japan.

By winning in such impressive fashion, Nong has shown that he is still a force to be reckoned with and now there is talk of him returning to Rajadamnern stadium…