Knocking on Max’s Door
August 8, 2008 by nopstar
So there is a rumour floating around that Yodsanklai v. Buakaw is on for Sept. 6th in Thailand. British Muay Thai Champ Kieran Keddle is the originator of this little tidbit. I don’t know Kieren but he doesn’t have any reason to make something like this up. Kieran states that he was told this by Yodsanklai and a couple of “other” Thais. Could it be a misunderstanding…
Photo by Lawrence Ripsher
The bit that sounds shady, is the fact that it’s going to be held at Central World. Bangkok’s largest shopping mall. Am I to believe one of the most anticipated bouts is going the route of countless boy bands and Debbie Gibson?
Rob Cox has also chimed in… he claims the fight is 50/50 probability and is being backed by an unnamed Singaporean company.
Let’s look at this from the other side. Say this is going down… what does that mean for Nong Sombat aka Buakaw? Does that mean his contact with Max is up? Was his fight with Sato his last in K-1? Is this really it?
The other thing that makes me believe this won’t go down, is that the only people who really care about this fight are outside of Thailand. I paid 70 Euros for my tickets to slamm, that’s like a 3,600 Baht ticket.
I’m sure most of you have seen this article on Rogue. Thanks to Gusnark for the original post. In it Yodsanklai talks about wanting a piece of the K-1 Max Pie. Last I checked the prize money was somewhere around $92-93K… proper money.
Most think it’s a foregone conclusion, it isn’t a matter of if, but rather when will Yodsanklai will be unleashed into K-1.
I think it’s slightly more complicated than that. A year ago I had a conversation with Hideki Suzuki he runs the Ingram Gym in Bangkok. Suzuki and his network of promoters were the folks who initially introduced Buakaw to K-1. Khun Suzuki had mentioned that there was a serious rift forming with the Por.Pramuk camp and K-1 over money.
My understanding is that once you sign with K-1 they have you on very tight reins. I don’t recall Buakaw or any of the fighters fighting in non-K1 sanctioned fights? (except Souwer vs. Yod) Am I completely wrong on this? (Can anyone confirm or deny?) Maybe they allow a couple, but it’s certainly within their interest to protect their “investment”.
Yodsanklai and his camp have their fingers in the WBC pot. The fight game is notoriously political… and Muay Thai is without exception. It’s very difficult/almost impossible to get a WBC fight if you’re not in the good graces of Fairtex Management. I suspect Yodsanklai won’t be able to have his cake and eat it too. He’s going to have to pick… WBC or K-1. I think his camp would love for him to do both, but that isn’t going to fly with K1.
It comes down to economics and challenge. Who’s out there in the WBC, or even in the Muay Thai who can challenge Yodsanklai? I can’t really think of anyone. So they continue to feed him fighters, with a decent fight purse I’m sure. Or there is the second option; he quits Muay Thai in pursuit of a Max belt and money. I don’t know how much Max fighters make per fight, but I’ve got to imagine it’s on par with the WBC or any other sanctioning body.
If Yodsanklai heads over to K-1 he’ll lose any bargaining power he and his organization have enjoyed (I don’t think he needed it) He’ll be opened to questionable judging…? I suspect he won’t have much say at all. I imagine it is the next logical transition for him. His loss to Souwer gives it a sense of new challenge for him.
I think Max will let Yodsanklai in. I think Fairtex will realize that this is the best move for their brand. I don’t think anyone has any doubts he’s got what it takes to win the belt.
If this fight in September doesn’t happen with these two, I guarantee that when the time comes, K-1 will send Yodsanklai to dispatch Buakaw from K1. Out with the old in with the new, I think the FEG is twisted enough to have planned this.
What do you think? Am I smoking crack? If this thing is on and I can get my passport back in time I’m going to go. All you guys within an 2 hour flight have no excuses.
Nop,
Thanks for the heads up. As you know, I am in Singapore and decent buddies with some here in the fight game. I will see if anyone knows anything about this Sept. 6th event between the 2 thais.
About the fight between Buakaw and Yod at Central World Shopping mall, this make a lot of sense to me personally. The goal is clear and simple, attract more tourists.
As a tourist to Thailand, you can choose to ignore Lumpini Stadium (or even never heard about it), but you hardly avoid not to go to the biggest mall in town to do some shopping once you travel.
To muay thai promoters, surely a big fight at Central World is a good way to attract more people (guess tourists are what they really care the most) to watch muay thai. People who can afford to shop at Central World surely have money in their pocket to spend, and these are the customers that good for business. To the shopping mall promoter, it’s just another weekly or monthly shopping mall show they have to arrange anyway to draw more traffic. Muay Thai is getting big oversea and the best vs. the best is the gimmick. To the sponsors, all they care is people finally spend money to buy their product or service, so having a big match in a place full of consumers is definitely the prefect match for them to show their big company logo / sign because people in there are really the spenders. Singha and Fairtex surely will have one of the biggest sign on this fight. These sponsors won’t be small and cheap on the money if you are talking about event at Central World.
we can imagine people who already love muay thai will definitely go there to watch it if they are in town, and people who don’t know Muay Thai but go shopping at Central World will likely to stop and take a look of the “shopping mall weekly / monthly show”. I can see those 3 parties i just mentioned will be very happy to see this happening. Money surely won’t be a problem at all, now it’s all up to party of buakaw and party of Yod to decide to sign the contract or not.
almost forgot to mention K-1, they should be the happiest man to see this happen before choosing between Buakaw and Yod. If Buakaw wins, they will act quickly to re-new contract with Buakaw as the most likely substitution is the loser of your own Ace. It takes time to re-build another Ace. If Yod wins, K-1 can completely ignore Buakaw and just deal with Fairtex for having Yod. Yod is already an Ace which save K-1 a lot of time, and K-1 knows Fairtex wants them so badly too, not the money from K-1, but the good exposure around the world and the big rich market in Japan.
Man, that post is like a bullet to the head.
Buakaw against Yod is like a dream fight. And even Rob Cox claims it’s a 50/50 to make it happen?
Damn, this is exciting to hear. Unfortunately we don’t know, but expect, the consequences if Buakaw loses. This is simply because it would be strange for K-1 allowing two top Thais in the competition. Yod replacing Buakaw? Nopstar, you’re predictions are kinda scary.
Yes, we all know K-1 has tight reins, so if this fight comes to realization, that doesn’t mean Buakaw is out of K-1. Buakaw fought with Jomhod in 2006 for WMC World title for example, which was under full Thai rules.
On a side note, on wikipedia is enlisted Buakaw vs Kraus fight (not again!) on 29th of September in It’s Showtime event:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buakaw_Por.Pramuk#Kickboxing_record
It would be a Suspensefull fight, I think my nerves would be in chaos! But Would never miss it for the world, and I agree that we might see Yod trie to Dispatch a Full, opposed to Hungry, Buakaw sometime in the near Future, Hope they Both get and stay involved with Max for a long time!! I would have to say Buakaw would have to Use his Legs because Yods hands are like Supermans!
I def would love to see this happen. However, Yod is on a relative killing spree right now. KOing many opponents- except losing to Souwer. Buakaw lost to Sato, but that does not mean he is finished (even though a former Lumpini tells me he is)!
tong po,
“he is finished (even though a former Lumpini tells me he is)”
Why is that? Cause he got KOed, or because he lacks motivation?
Too soon to predict, bur if this KO is not a good motivator, then his career is in doubt.
Fight held in the WOrld Central mall!?!? I think not! Yod vs. SOmbat? Not in K-1! Atleast I pray Allah wouldn’t allow it. K-1 is glorified kickboxing not muay Thai!! If they were to fight it would have to be MUAY THAI!!!! REAL MUAY THAI!! not that watered down trash!! Come on! If they did fight each other in K-1 would boycott it!(but watch it secretly). Man I want to see them in the clinch kneeing and throwing elbows.
according to ax kickboxing forums, this fight defo isnt happening.I didnt think it would just one of those rumour that goes around I guess lets face it we’d all like to see it.Yod’s surely way to big for this fight anyway.
one other thing in relation to tong po’s last comment.If yods on a relative killing spree isnt he gona get arrested??!!!!You cant go around bumping off your aunties and uncles and hope to get away with it especially if your as high profile as yod!! (sorry couldt resist!!)
lol manant, good one.
It really sounds too good to be true. This is something the whole worlds been anticipating and for that, I think its a little short notice. I would expect them to give ample time to blow this fight up as much as possible before it happens. Besides, I don’t get into Thailand until September 9. If I have to rebook my flight so I can make this fight it’s gonna suuuuck! But it can’t be missed!
Gusnark,
“Why is that? Cause he got KOed, or because he lacks motivation?
Too soon to predict, bur if this KO is not a good motivator, then his career is in doubt.”
I think that him getting KOed along with his seeming lackluster past performances (although compared to his total domination in his first few Max appearances, all else may seem so), may be why some believe he may be on a downhill slope. I actually don’t think so myself as this is his first time being stopped, and he can use this as motivation to come back strong.
WHo is the founder of mymuaythai??? is that fool KhunThai???
Fight is not gonna happen!
Rob Cox spoke to Mr. Pramuk:
“the fight couldnt happen for obvious reasons the size and weight difference too much… yod walks around at 78 kilos buakao can still make 63″ according to Mr. Pramuk.
Yod is simply too big.
Where is the love everybody?
…hooray Olympics!