Reaching for boxing glory

A kickboxer since the tender age of 11, Sittichai Sitsongpeenong gives a broad grin as he reflects on his victory in the lightweight contender tournament at “Glory 22” in June in Lille, France.

Asked whether it was a hard fought win, the 23-year-old Buri Ram native, who was awarded the tournament’s Ramon Dekkers memorial trophy, says it was neither easy nor hard.

“That goal seemed so far away before the fight that I worked hard to build my endurance, strength and speed with what I think of as the ultimate boxing workout.”

Sittichai, one of the brightest stars on the muay Thai scene, is now a serious competitor on the international kickboxing circuit and has made a name for himself worldwide.

Dubbed the “Killer Kid” by the international media, the youngster defeated former lightweight champion Georgian Davit Kiria in the semi-finals and Canada’s Josh Jauncey in the final to win the contender tournament and secure a title shot against the current champion Robin van Roosmalen later on this year.

Glory is an international kickboxing promotion company founded in 2012 by Glory Sports International and Total Sports Asia. It is the successor to K-1, which was the Premier League of kickboxing prior to facing financial difficulties. One of the most exciting cornerstones of Glory is the contender tournament format, where the tournament winner must win two fights in a single night in order to earn a shot at the world title.

 “This tournament is great for me and all boxers from around the world. It’s everyone’s dream to reach this goal,” says Sittichai. 

“Glory and K-1 are similar in terms of boxing style and technique but different in the rules and regulations. One of the differences is that K-1 allows only one knee strike throughout the fight, while Glory allows three.”

Sittichai spent the weeks before flying to France for the lightweight contender tournament working and training at the Sitsongpeenong boxing camp.

 “Jauncey is a skilled boxer so I had speed drills and supplemented them with strength and accuracy. The result was that I got the higher score – 30-27 from three judges – at the end of the fight and became the champion. It was difficult to beat the Canadian fighter who was very fast. I wasn’t afraid of him but a little worried about how to win. Kiria is ranked the No 3 in the world by Glory and known for his heavy punches. I think Kiria is more proficient than Jauncey so defeating him really boosted my self-confidence,” Sittichai recalls.

Sittichai, whose real name is Anulak Jansuk, started learning about boxing from his father, former boxer, Samarnchai, when he was a child. Every day after school, he would run, kick the sandbag, and practise punching with both left and right hands. At 11, he made his debut in the boxing ring and was knocked out by an opponent’s knee strike.

“I felt a little sad but I wasn’t discouraged. It was because I was lacking experience,” he says. 

More fights followed and he improved, beating his opponents from time to time. When he was 15, he stepped into the ring at Lumpini Boxing Stadium for the first time and not only won but took home Bt10,000 cash. He followed up with wins at several fights but admits, with a smile, that he also lost often too.

“Boxing is a risky career,” Sittichai says. “You have to take good care of your health and body and practise all the time.”

His continued success give Sittichai more chances in the ring. He joined the Sitsongpeenong boxing camp to train for international fights in Europe. 

He was just 18 when he made his debut at K-1 in France and beat his French opponent.

“I changed my way of boxing and stopped using knee and elbow strikes, focusing on punch and kick instead. In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable,” says the fighter, whose most deadly weapon against his opponents is his left leg.

“I was given by nickname by the media after winning in France more than 10 times.”

A veteran of over 130 career fights, including his Glory victories over Murthel Groenhart, Jordan Watson and Fabio Pinca, Sittichai is as technically proficient as they come. He currently holds a prestigious Lumpini Stadium championship title and is ranked No 2 in the official WBC Muay Thai rankings. His huge success has also earned him the title of “Buakaw Banchamek 2”, after the champion Thai K-1 fighter.

 This year, Sittichai received an award at National Sports Day for promoting Thai martial arts to the world. 

“I’m in top form right now and I have impressed the international audience with my muay Thai style of punching, kicking, knee strike and elbow strike,” he says.

And he already has plans to set up a boxing camp once he retires. 

“It is my greatest passion. Boxing helps us to be healthy, to protect ourselves and to make a living. Many more people paying attention to muay Thai.”

 

 FIGHT NIGHT