Association of Boxing Commissions to Consider Unified Muay Thai Rules

by Fraser Coffeen on Jan 28, 2010 7:00 AM EST Comment 9 comments

Originally posted at HeadKickLegend.com

This is an interesting little development for North American fans of stand-up fighting - the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) has developed a Muay Thai Advisory Committee. This committee will present the ABC with a proposed set of unified rules for Muay Thai at the commission's July 2010 conference. These rules would be used "in North America for all professional and amateur muay thai contests." Details of the rules are currently under negotiation.

The committee is headed up by Nick Lembo, who also was one of the main supporters of the unified rules of mixed martial arts, which you now see in use at the UFC and virtually all other North American MMA organizations.

What exactly would this mean for Muay Thai in North America? Well, for starters, it would give an air of legitimacy to what is a largely unknown fighting style in this area. Right now, Muay Thai and all kickboxing runs a very distant 3rd to boxing and MMA in the US where exposure and popularity are concerned. By gaining the ABC's stamp of approval, the doors would be open for more Muay Thai style shows to be put on. With the international success of The Contender Asia, there is perhaps a growing market for Muay Thai rules in the US. Already this year we've seen the announcement of the biggest Muay Thai show in the US in years - with unified rules in place will more shows like this follow?

It's silly to think that simply coming up with rules will suddenly increase the popularity of such a niche part of combat sports. But by granting athletic commissions the kind of rules needed to approve shows in their area, the ABC will open the door for an increased number of higher profile fighters and shows to take place. Don't expect to see huge changes overnight, but this is definitely a positive development for North American fans looking for local acceptance of Muay Thai and stand-up fighting.

FanPosts do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of Bad Left Hook or SB Nation. They might, though.

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It is a great sport, I enjoy it quite a bit.

"Yes Gina, I am a Wise Cracker"

by lcollins1 on Jan 28, 2010 12:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Me too. I love it!

"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006

by The Midnight Rambler on Feb 1, 2010 11:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting

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"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jan 28, 2010 5:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Restrictive rules

I hope these unified rules actually allow Muay Thai to be used as it was intended to be, not restricting it like I’ve seen it done many times before, such as no elbows or knees, no kicks below the waist etc. I can barely tolerate K-1s rules (Only one elbow allowed to be thrown in the clinch, only one knee, no multiple knees or elbows etc.) but it hampers the sport, Muay Thai is extremely dangerous, it was INTENDED to be like that, these guys know what they’re getting into so let them utilize their arsenal to its fullest.

In Thailand there are no such restrictive rules in bouts.

by lightmartyr on Jan 29, 2010 10:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with the "no kicking below the waist" thing.

If I want to see people kicking each other in the shins, I’d watch a “fight” in a school playground.

One of the phrases I hate most in combat sports commentary;
“And a really good low kick from ******* there….”

A really good low kick? He just kicked the other guy in the fucking shin!!

I used to compete at kickboxing (not Muay Thai), and I hated that. Kicking should involve at least as much skill as punching. Or, put another way, the skill/reward ratio should not be so much in favor of people who can’t kick properly, so boot each other in the shins like demented River-dancers…..

Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)

by Chaos100 on Feb 4, 2010 1:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Leg kicks are not as simple as just “He kicked the other guy in the fucking shin”, these guys train to withstand this kind of punishment, and it’s not just shin kicking either, there are kicks to inside of the leg, to the upper thigh and what not that are hugely effective. I don’t know any Muay Thai guy that actuallys kicks you in shin, the shins are primarily used to block round house kicks or kicks to the thigh/inside leg.

I truly believe that Kickboxing is a very watered down, or butchered form of Muay Thai.

by lightmartyr on Feb 8, 2010 10:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Another thing, in Muay Thai you’re taught to strike with the shin when kicking. Watch some K-1, it doesn’t bother these guys, they can take it.

by lightmartyr on Feb 8, 2010 11:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OK. I see your point. I still disagree, but I see it.

Mainly because I was taught to kick high, that flexibility and balance were key to kicking well. As well as timing, leg strength, speed and accuracy, or course. I just don’t see that kicking to the legs incorporates much of, well, any of those characteristics, really.

Kicking a guy in the head takes skill, both physical and mental, since not only do you have to be able to do it, but you put yourself at potential risk every time you do, so the timing has to be spot on.

I’ve watched plenty of K-1. It used to really grip me, and now it just, well, doesn’t.

Let’s put it this way, if I were taking my son (I don’t have a son, thank Christ) to a martial arts group/class, then I’d take him to a kickboxing club over a Muay Thai class every time. Mind you, having trained and competed in kickboxing, I’d have to say that kickboxing would not be top of my list, either, as I much prefer the mindsets promoted by Aikido or Wing-tsun.

Not saying I’m right, but that’s the way I see it.

by Chaos100 on Feb 8, 2010 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs