A few weeks ago I noticed some chatter on the forums about Sanchai hanging up the gloves. A few of you have also left comments on the matter.
I think part of me was slightly sceptical, especially the part about Sanchai wanting to play football (soccer). Oh yeah for those of you who’re playing catch up… Sanchai said by Dec. he was going to be hanging it up. His hopes and aspirations are to play football professionally in Thailand.
I took it all with a grain of salt, but I came across this footage last night of Sanchai playing a scrimmage (friendly) with MuangThong United. Football is immensely popular in Thailand, but the local leagues and teams struggle for support.
I guess seeing him in this vid made it more real for me. It’s a huge loss to our sport… I would love to see him travelling and fighting more abroad. I’m hoping he’ll continue to be an ambassador for MuayThai abroad.
I’m sure he’s burnt out… I’m sure the idea of beginning a new sport and career must be incredibly exciting for him. I’m looking forward to him whipping out the cartwheel on the pitch…
I’m happy I had the chance to see him fight a couple of times. I doubt I’ll have the opportunity to catch him at Lumpini for his farewell fight. Any of you who are within a 2 hour flight of BKK need to be all over that. I’ll try to post more info on it, when I find out more.
August 18, 2009 at 9:21 am
Nop – not quite his farewell fight in Lumpinee I admit, but he is fighting in UK in November, better than nothing?!
August 18, 2009 at 9:22 am
Surprisingly, i’m not as disappointed as i thought i would be. This is actually pretty damn cool what he’s gonna be doing…. He’s not as young as he used to be, by Muay Thai terms anyway, considering the age he started at..
August 18, 2009 at 5:35 pm
looked like he was waiting to get in, but wasn’t subbed in time…did he get a touch? i can see him being a busy, tackling midfielder or fullback…..
August 18, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Aw man… My favorite fighter. :/
Oh well, I hope he does really good in football. Hopefully someone records his last fight for us.
August 18, 2009 at 6:41 pm
sad, but I feel privileged to have met him, seen him in person and shake his hand last month. he ran through my entire training session and looked like he just started..he has amazing conditioning. He does have a compact soccer physique.not lean and lanky like other nak muays. I could see him in defence or mid field..but hey maybe he could do a “saenchai teep” and score some goals!!!!!!!!!
Chok dee Saenchai- you have attained what few could hardly dream of
August 18, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I don’t know why I expected it to be a vid similar to “Shaolin Soccer”. Red team starts losing, Sanchai goes and beats everyone up, and they win the game.
Meh…I suddenly got the urge to play soccer. Being in the states, I’m guessing that my chances of finding a pick up game is nil-to-none.
August 18, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Absolutely gutted !! I have also seen him fight a couple of times the last one being when he fought 2 different opponents in July it wasnt classic Saenchai but good to watch all the same.
I have also trained with him at the 13 coins gym he was awsome getting kicked in the head by the cartwheel kick was so much fun!! I am off to Thailand to train for 3 months in september so I will definately tape it an upload for you guys.
Chok dee Saenchai !
August 18, 2009 at 8:18 pm
we should sign a petition to stop this from happening. :(
August 19, 2009 at 4:24 am
=..( I watch his vids 3 ot 4 times a week just to study da high caliber skill level that he has developed. Man, this sucks! This guy deserves a statue or something.
August 19, 2009 at 7:42 am
Someone needs to call the Thai mafia :P
jk….bummer though.
August 19, 2009 at 8:26 am
he should still fight. hes going to be in soccer condition anyways. no more 2 v 1′s though. lawl
August 19, 2009 at 10:57 pm
First of all, I would like to ask the 1st person who got a real information regarding Saenchai going to hang his glove. I didn’t know anything about this but I know his Camp owner of 13 Coins Tower where Saenchai train at , I call him ” Sia Lek SKV “. To find out the real information we need to talk to his camp owner , honestly right now everyone just think he going to retire ; however, I really don’t think so.
If Saenchai is going to be retire , that would be really suck because ” Sia Lek SKV” talk about he want Saenchai to fight here in US. Therefore, I try to promote my next World Muay Thai Champion Fight , and you bet I will try to bring to US and fight here. If everything is going right , we should be able to have Saenchai fight so you guy can come support my show too.
For now, let me try to find out some more information before everyone get too sad, as soon I got a real fact information, I will post comment here again, Promise!
Sit Rama Soon Muay Thai Gym ( USA)
Twins
August 19, 2009 at 10:59 pm
BRING SAENCHAI TO THE US. NOW.
August 19, 2009 at 11:00 pm
oh! by the way, everyone who saw Saenchai play Football. Football is just another sport of everyone Thai kid dream. Perhaps, Saenchai want to fulfill his dream to atleast get on the Pro-Football field and play. I don’t see anything with a good evidence that he will change sport or retire. Once again, let me try to find out more info.
August 19, 2009 at 11:05 pm
try to find out that info. and the info on stacks inquiry regarding contender asia 2.
August 20, 2009 at 1:48 am
wow hope he makes it to Florida!!!!!!
August 20, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I hope its a Michael Jordan Thing, like The Baseball flip he did, and then came back to his true love Basketball. But I will be so Sad if he Quits, I Quit football to do Muay Thai, what a world!!
August 21, 2009 at 1:03 am
unfortunately, i see no way of saenchai sucking soccer.
August 26, 2009 at 3:23 pm
This is what the roomer in Thailand talk about Saenchai going to hand his gloves. As I promise you all that I’m gonna try to find out and keep update for you guys. Well , I didn’t really get a hold of Saenchai Manager but I spoke with a friend of my who is in Thailand. According to my friend ; he said that Saenchai might retire in Thailand but he still going to be fight outside the country.
Of course, in Thailand he doesn’t get a fight that much because how good he is and he seem to enjoy make money outside the country and plus to get to promote Muay Thai World Wide. I have to agree with him , why only fight in Thailand when he can fight World Wide.
There fore, there is a good chance that I could make his fight here in U.S. We don’t know yet ; however, there are many more complication why they do not allowed a fighter Visa. So far , he is o.k. to go fight in Europe but U.S. is kind a hard for the Thai fighter to come over. The new homeland security law make everything hard now a day.
Anyways, I hope that will clear of the doubt that everyone might have regarding Saenchai retire, whether he is going to retire or not, we still love him. Even if he does not want to fight anymore , we could still have him do a good Seminar here in U.S.
Sit Rama Soon Muay Thai U.S.A
Twins
September 2, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Sia Lek isn’t Saenchai’s camp manager, he is more like a supporter, friend, big brother to Saenchai and also helps to find him fights abroad. I spoke with Saenchai just before the fight with Petchboonchu and he confirmed he will be stopping in Thailand as the dropping weight to try and make the fights even is too much for him and he has had enough of that, he said though he is definitely looking to fight abroad and as for the football, he has signed a contract, but will see how that goes and if it didn’t work out he woas interested in going abroad maybe to teach Muaythai
September 2, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I want to open a gym! Sanchai would be the head trainer and I could teach the ladies boxercise class.