Ferrari fights Tapakaow – Number 4!
(In this photo: Fairtex BGV14 Blue Boxing Gloves, Fairtex KPLC5 Muay Thai Pads, Fairtex FMV9 Contoured Focus Mitts, Fairtex BPV3 Belly Pad)
Fresh off the winning parking lot, Ferrari is already slated to race again. The top talent revved his engine against Han Zi Hao at ONE Championship. He sped to an easy points win. Now he will race against his old adversary, Tapakaow Singmaywinn. The two have met before. The first time at Channel 7 Tapakow got the checkered flag. Then Ferrari took home the trophy at Rajadamnern. The two met in the south of Thailand with Tapakow taking home a win from the judges. Muay Thai fans of the region thought otherwise.
It will be Muay Fimeu, a technical fighter, against Muay Khao, a knee fighter in Koh Samui. Tapakow is well known for his lock and knee style. Ferrari has been able to diffuse him before and the Fairtex team is confident he will do it again.
The two meet on October 22nd in Koh Samui.
Thai-Ngan Le Knows How To Fight – Knowing The Opponent Is A Different Matter
(In this photo: Fairtex BPV3 Belly Pad, Fairtex LKP1 Leg Kick Pad, Fairtex BGV14 Blue Boxing Gloves)
Vietnamese- American athlete Thai-Ngan Le is back in the saddle. The punch and leg kick, Muay Mat, the stylist is prepared for anything.
“I don’t know who I’m fighting,” she said. I train to my advantages and strengths.”
It’s common to not know the opponent until about a week out from the fight. This especially happens at the mid level of the game. Fighters switch around according to schedules.
“About 7-10 days before I find out who my opponent is. My trainer and I see what she is good at,” Le said. “The last week or ten days we game plan for my foe.”
While we don’t know who Le will take on, we do know that she fights on October 22nd at Fairtex Fight Promotion.
Stamp Takes Off
Everyone’s favorite dancer, Stamp is bringing the show on the road. She is going on her first ever seminar tour. The journey begins in Austin, Texas at The Old Guard Muay Thai. The ONE Championship champ then heads off to Newark, Milipitas, Chicago, Las Vegas, Virginia Beach, Washington DC, and New York City.
“I’m so excited,” Stamp said. “Every opportunity to travel is a chance to grow and change. It’s like I go as one person and come back as someone new, and better.”
After the tour is done it’s time for more self transformation. Stamp faces a tough challenge against Anissa Meksen in January in Bangkok.
Junior Becomes A Senior 
(In this photo: Fairtex BGL6 Laced Competition Gloves)
Young budding star Junior Fairtex is growing up. The fighter returned to the professional circuit after some time off. Junior was on the Thai national team and fought in the IFMA games.
“I lose weight by running and wearing the sauna suit,” she said. “My game plan is to punch and leg kick.”
Junior fought at 53kg. She took on Kaewfah Rongriean Kratiem Wittaya. The heavy handed puncher used her one and two to put away Kaewfah in the second round by TKO.
It’s Go time for the MMA Team 
(In this photo: Fairtex LKP2 Donut Round Punch and Kicking Pad,
Fairtex BPV3 Belly Pad, Fairtex BGV1 gloves)
The MMA team is busy, busy, busy. There are big fights lined up for several of the fighters. Y2K is at ONE championship this coming week. He battles Eko Roni Saputra from Japan in a flyweight MMA bout.
(In this photo: Fairtex FGV18 Super Sparring Grappling MMA Gloves, Fairtex Muay Thai Curved Pads)
Benham is due for a big fight in Turkey in November. Mark Abelardo is also back to the game in a TBA bout and Uloomi Karim has a fight lined up as well.
The increased opportunities for the MMA team are making people, like Mr. Wong owner of Fairtex, take note.
Wise Words From Kru Chao
(In this photo: Fairtex KPLC5 Muay Thai Pads, Fairtex BPV1 Belly Pad)
Kru Chao worked at Fairtex for over 20 years. A former professional fighter at Chuwattana gym in Bangkok he worked at the original Fairtex in Bangplee. Chao then went to the UK where he lived for several years. He returned to Pattaya to continue his passion for the sport.
“I make sure my fighters are fit,” he said. “Then we go over the game plan.”
Chao helps the fighters develop their style. There are a few primary styles of fighters in Muay Thai. There is Muay Mat athletes. They are heavy handed boxers that like to leg kick. There are Muay Khao athletes. The driven fighters push forward and clinch onto their opponents. Then there are Muay Fimeu fighters. These technical athletes use their skillset to outpoint their foes.
Mr. Wong Encourages Thai Fighters To Pick Up MMA
Fairtex has always been an industry leader in combat sports. This time is no different. With the world opening up fighters in MMA are getting more bouts.
As an industry, the purse size for MMA is larger compared to Muay Thai. The path to stardom is also much shorter.
“I encourage my Thai fighters to think about MMA,” Mr. Wong said. “To get into a big promotion like ONE you have to fight 20 times or more. For MMA if you do well you can get in much faster.”
ONE Championship will host regular fights every Friday night at Lumpinee. The show will encourage local Thai athletes. The purse size will be higher than other shows in the Thai ecosystem. This means more potential fights for MMA athletes and bigger purses.
Author: Matt Lucas