Many thanks to Mark Mian for passing this one along… we’re going retro today, this is a match up featuring Jongsanan before his days with Fairtex, vs. Superlek. Also hats off to GKfromMTA for taking the time to upload and share your collection with us.
I think this fight took place around ‘92; many consider this era the height of Muay Thai’s popularity in Thailand.
Jongsanan is a friend from Fairtex in San Francisco… for those of you who don’t know Jongsanan, is a legend. His most well known fights are with his friend Sakmongkol… one of their fights was voted fight of the decade. If you’re training in the Bay Area, you’ve probably seen him at smokers, and interclubs, cornering his Fairtex fighters. If you get the chance, you should go and introduce yourself. He’s super approachable, and I’m sure he would appreciate it.
I’ve yet to see a Jongsanan fight where he isn’t going balls out and taking a lot of damage. He told me he used to get really bad headaches after his fights… one could see why.
September 24, 2008 at 8:21 am
Nopstar
Num was with Fairtex at the time…he just had that other last name that I won’t attempt to spell………….
September 24, 2008 at 9:31 am
Do you mean Lukplahbahnkaew?
Luk=Child
Plah=fish
bahn=home
Kaew= glass
Fish child of the Glass House? I haven’t asked him but I was pretty sure this was before he went to Fairtex…
Can someone ask him for the details? Mark?
September 24, 2008 at 10:12 am
He had been with Fairtex at the time of this fight. Jongsanan and Nuengsiam had both actually trained at the Sasiprapa Gym for a bit when Jongsanan was getting ready to fight with Boonlai Sor Thanikul. Jongsanan needed a good knee grappler so he trained with Langsuan Punyuthapoom. Fairtex was still his home gym though.
September 24, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Jongsanan actually teaches out of the newer Fairtex gym in Mountain View, CA. I used to train there and I loved watching Jongsanan spar with some of the students. He is so clean and always looks to be having fun with it. I wish I had the chance to let him beat me up but I had to move, o well.
September 24, 2008 at 6:07 pm
He’s a master of kicking your lead leg out from underneath you. Just as your about to step in with your hands, your lead leg is gone. (especially if your stepping out way too much) It isn’t a hard chop on the inside of the leg, but low one near the ankle. I think he even pulls it in the superlek fight. Requires perfect timing…
September 24, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I saw Num a couple of days ago my favorite Thai restuarant (Sai Jai). Even with taking all those shots to the dome, he is more articulate than ever in speaking (particularly English), and I actually see him as the most assimilated (not borg like though) of all the early Thai guys from Fairtex.
September 24, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Nice hard fight. Jongsanan vs Orono is one of my favorites as well.
September 24, 2008 at 8:05 pm
thanks again nope for the history lessons
September 24, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Num jumped in the sparring class out of nowhere last week. He beat all of us up while laughing the whole time.
September 24, 2008 at 10:58 pm
jongsanan is my favorite of all time. dude was a beast.
September 25, 2008 at 2:04 am
He hasn’t been in MTV for a long time, he’s mostly in SF. It’s true he is one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met.
p.s. I stole his training shorts from the gym before I moved ha!
September 25, 2008 at 6:00 am
[...] Jongsanan vs. Superlek [...]
September 25, 2008 at 9:33 am
Yeah Nopstar, thats the name that I always mispronounce! Like GK said, he was at Fairtex….Heck, somewhere around here I have a few fights that even pre-date the Superlek one(the Boonlai one, a win over Therdkiat, part of the Wangchan-noi fight, ) and he’s always rocking the Fairtex Robe….heck you can even see a much younger Ganyao(with hair!!!)
and Colargol…I saw Num vs. Orono live. 1995, ah the old days……..
September 25, 2008 at 10:37 am
The 1990s really were a nice era for Muay Thai.
AS for Jongsanan it doesn’t seem that long ago remembering him beating up Dawson, Brackenbury and even Imro Main. All stateside.
He’s always was an all action fighter. I often wonder what would have happened to Jongsanan had made a break from Fairtex the way Bunkerd did.
September 25, 2008 at 6:37 pm
If he would’ve broken off, he probably wouldn’t be as famous in the states plus he wouldn’t be taken care of, like he is now. He’ll always have a job at Fairtex.
It’s incredible to me, the long term commitment these thai guys have. It’s really hard for an all american guy like myself to understand. I’m trying though.
September 25, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Oh and as for how long Num has been with FTX; I’ve seen photos of Num, Mart, Big G, and Kerd all living at the camp as kids.
He’s been there for a long time.
September 26, 2008 at 1:15 am
Jongsanan’s fight with Boonlai is on Dailymotion. Just search under Bunlai. When you see Num now it’s hard to imagine he was fighting at featherweight for a bit.
September 26, 2008 at 4:24 am
Just me personal opinion I think Jongsanan would have been better off without Fairtex it sure didn’t hurt Bunkerd to seperate. Better off and better known are wholly separate topics imo.
September 26, 2008 at 6:50 am
I’m just waiting for Num to open up a restaurant!! Every time he cooks i’m first in line.