Tom Yum

Smash,

we know and acknowledge that the better boxer often determines the outcome in kickboxing. Thus, most kickboxers are decent boxers; Lucia Rijker is an example of a kickboxer who went on to become a successful pro-boxer; not to say that adjustments had to be made. She talks about the adjustment in some of her interviews.

I would never discount the effectiveness of western boxing. I've been beaten by them; they are hard to hit and can hit with pinpoint accuracy and power in a milisec. I have however fought a boxer with MT rules; when a boxer jabs/double jabs or jab cross, the lead leg steps out. You know how boxers catch the jab and fire back simultaneously? MT does the same thing, except its with a cut kick to the ribs or a rear round-house to the thighs. When ever you commit to a punch your legs and parts of your body are exposed to kicks; whenever you kick, parts of you are exposed to punches. Do you see what I mean? When you are in range to throw hooks/uppercuts, a distance boxer will clinch and hit from the seperation. Remember the Tyson v. Buster Mathis jr. fight in 95 or 96? The reason why Mathis lasted past the 2nd round was because he clinched Tyson when they got inside. Mathis jr. was also in terrible shape too; Tyson should have ko'd him in 30 sec. If it is easy for a flabby Mathis Jr. to clinch Tyson, let's talk about the thai clinch.

The thai clinch is hard to escape from, difficult to punch from (because you are being dragged by your neck in a cobra-like vice) and is a platform for using the elbows and knees (which are ko strikes). The thaiboxer will spin you around, not only to make you dizzy, but to prevent you from gaining balance to throw strikes while he/she will throw you into his knees from different angles. If you manage to pull your head up, to a higher level you will have to deal with elbows. In a thaiboxing match, the ref will not seperate you. Thai rules

Kicks to the legs and body are used to slow your opponent down or keep him at bay; this is just like how you go for the body in boxing. They are vulnerable to counter punching. However knees and elbows are the primary KO strikes (especially in Thailand) in the US its head punches (sometimes head kicks) because of our rules. Thaiboxers die each your from damage done from clinch knees. Boxers die too, but it is rarer.

Stances are different too; MT are upright wheras boxers are crouched. However most well-trained thaiboxers 'slide' across the floor like boxers and do not 'walk' to get their opponent. Thus eliminating the hit-step (BTW that's a really good fine point of boxing)

Before you accept a match with a thaiboxer, you should find some thaiboxers in your area who are as experinced as you are in boxing and go 3-4 rounds full contact with Thai rules. Its a whole different game. You could probably drive thru a TKD/Karate/Kung-fu guy and pick up a shake with fries at the end bc they DO NOT condition themselves for full-contact fighting. However, Thaiboxers do.

Good luck Smash and let us know if you accept the challenge. Can you tape it for us?

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