Pradal Serey
Encyclopedia
Pradal serey is an unarmed martial art from Cambodia
. In Khmer
the word pradal means fighting or boxing and serey means free. Originally used for warfare, pradal serey is now one of Cambodia's national sports. Its moves have been slightly altered to comply with the modern rules.
Pradal serey is mostly the same as unarmed kbach kun boran except it does not include mae (core techniques), tvear (door system that emphasizes footwork). Instead, it focuses more on winning a bout. While most well-known for its kicking technique, which generates power from hip rotation rather than snapping the leg, pradal serey consists of four types of strikes: punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes. The clinch is used to wear down the opponent. Compared to other forms of Southeast Asia
n kickboxing, pradal serey emphasizes more elusive and shifty fighting stances. The Cambodian style tends to utilize more elbows than that of other regions. More victories come by way of an elbow technique than any other strikes.
Fighting has been a constant part of Southeast Asia since ancient times and eventually led to organized combat systems. In the Angkor era, both armed and unarmed martial arts were practiced by the Khmers. Evidence shows that a style resembling pradal serey known as bokator
existed in the 9th century, which may be one of the reasons why the Khmer empire
was such a dominant force in Southeast Asia. The kingdom of Angkor
used an early form of pradal serey, named Yuthakun khmer khom, along with various weapons and war elephants to wage war against their main enemy, the Vietnam
-based kingdom of Champa
, and later, Siam. Re-enactments of elephant battles are still recreated at the Surin Elephant Round-up
.
At this time, the kingdom of Angkor dominated and controlled most of what is now Cambodia, Thailand
, Vietnam and Laos
. As a result, Cambodia has influenced much of Thai and Lao culture. This leads the Khmer to believe all Southeast Asian forms of kickboxing started with the early Mon-Khmer people; they maintain thatPradal serey derived from bokator
and went on to form the basis for Muay Thai
. On top of oral stories from their ancestors, the basis of this argument are the bas-reliefs left behind by early Khmers in the ancient temples of the Bayon
and other Angkor temples. Much of the writing on ancient Khmer art has either been destroyed or adopted by the invading Thai armies when the Siamese sacked and looted Angkor and took Khmer captives including members of the Khmer royal court back to Ayutthaya
. The Khmer warrior-king Jayavarman VII
and the founder of a unified Laos, Fa Ngum
, were among the military leaders believed to have been trained in the old fighting styles of Cambodia.
During the colonial period
, martial arts like pradal serey were considered by the European colonists to be brutal and uncivilised. The French turned the art into a sport by adding timed rounds, a boxing ring and western boxing gloves in an attempt to lessen injury. Originally matches were fought in dirt pits with limited rules while hands were wrapped in rope. Some matches had boxers wrap seashells around their knuckles to increase the damage that could be inflicted. In the 1960s, Cambodian boxing promoters held inter-martial art exhibition
s.
During the chaos of the Vietnam War
, Cambodia was undergoing its own civil war
. On April 17, 1975, the Maoist Communist rebels, the Khmer Rouge
, overthrew the government of the Khmer Republic
led by Lon Nol
after America left the Vietnam War. The Khmer Rouge's plan was to eliminate modern society and create an agricultural utopia. The Khmer Rouge executed educated people, others who had ties to the old government or anyone who was believed to be advantaged by the old society (doctors, teachers, soldiers, actors, singers, boxers, etc.) and forced the remaining Khmer
population into labor camps, in which many died of starvation and diseases, to be re-educated under the new government. Traditional martial arts
were banned at this time and many boxers were executed or worked to death, which nearly caused the death of pradal serey. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians or 21% of the population died during the Khmer Rouge regime according to the studies of the Cambodia Genocide Program of Yale University
. This lasted for four years until 1979 when the Vietnamese
along with ex-Khmer Rouge officers, including current prime minister Hun Sen
, overthrew the Khmer Rouge. During the relative peace since the departure of the Vietnamese and the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the country's traditional arts were revived, including pradal serey.
Pradal serey is making a strong comeback since its prohibition in the 1970s. Cambodia is making an attempt to market their style of boxing at the same caliber as Muay Thai
even though its status as a fourth world country renders a lack of financial funding. Numerous gyms have opened and large masses of students, local and foreign, have come to train in Cambodia. There are weekly matches held, the majority televised live, and many of Cambodia's best have traveled internationally to compete. There are currently approximately 70 boxing clubs nationwide.
Pradal serey is administered in Cambodia by the Cambodian Boxing Federation (CBF), formerly the Cambodian Amateur Boxing Federation (CABF). All referees, judges and fighters must be licensed by the CABF. Television stations which hold Khmer boxing tournaments do so under the supervision of the CBF. The individual stations are responsible for organising boxers, trainers, medical staff and musicians. The CBF supplies the match referees, judges and time-keepers. The current president of the CBF is Major-General Tem Moeun. Abroad, Cambodian boxing is promoted by 4 organizations. These organizations include the European Khmer Boxing Federation based in Germany
, the Fédération des Arts Martiaux Khmers also called FAMK, based in France
, the Anh Binh Minh Khmer Martial Arts Association in Vietnam
and Kun Khmer Australia based in Australia
. Other newly created organizations can be found in Spain
and Italy
, while Belgium
is in the process of forming its own Khmer boxing organization. The International Sport Kickboxing Association based in the United Kingdom
have held matches involving Cambodian boxers. Khmer boxers have fought abroad in countries such as Korea
.
There have been concerns about the betting and rowdiness among pradal serey fans. Cambodian trainer Chiit Sarim had this to say about the difference between the boxing scene then and now, "I traveled from pagoda to pagoda to box at competitions during the water festival. Pagoda
s were the traditional venue for boxing matches... They [the current fans] act inappropriately. They raise up their hands and scream noisily. They gamble and do not respect the boxers. They think of only winning their bet. During my time, there was no such thing. Fights were organized nicely and were very popular. Now fans have no morality".
Tournaments are screened live on national television. TV5 holds live tournaments on Friday and Sunday, CTN
holds live tournaments on Saturday and Sunday. Bayon Television
holds live kickboxing tournaments on Saturday and Sunday, while TV3
holds a single tournament on Sunday and Apsara TV
has added a single tournament on Thursday.
Recent exposure to pradal serey in the western world have come from travel journalists and tourists. In addition, pradal serey was featured on The History Channel
's Human Weapon
and mentioned on the Cambodian episode of Globetrekker.. In February, 2009, American footballer Dhani Jones
filmed an episode of his series Dhani Tackles the Globe
in Phnom Penh, training with Long Salavorn at the Salavorn Keila club and fighting Pan Phanith at the CTN arena.
Songchai Ratanasuban, the number one promoter in Thailand, brought his S1 Promotion to Phnom Penh
in June 2005. In the Cambodian S1 World Championship, Bun Sothea won the tournament. He defeated Michael Paszowski, Dzhabar Askerov
and Lor Samnang in front of 30,000 people at the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium.
In 2008 Cambodian Television Network (CTN) screened a pradal serey reality television series called Kun Khmer Champion. The show featured 65 kilogramme boxers and was produced by Ma Serey and Aaron Leverton and co-hosted by Ma Serey and Cambodia's most famous kickboxer, Eh Phoutong
. The first series was followed by a second in 2009 and a third in 2010, both co-hosted by Vorn Viva.
On August 28, 2008, Cambodian boxers Vorn Viva and Meas Chantha won the ISKA
Middleweight
and Welterweight
world titles in Phnom Penh. It was the first time a Cambodian had held a kickboxing world title.
boxing" or "SEA Boxing", which represented Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Sovannaphum means "golden land" in Khmer
and is written as Suwannabhumi in Thai
. The name refers to mainland Southeast Asia
in the India
n language of Pali
.
Thailand would not compromise, stating that each Southeast Asian country has its own boxing style and that Thailand was responsible for making its kickboxing an international sport. At the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
, Cambodia did not enter the Muay Thai event in protest of the name used to refer to the sport.
Neak Pradal were traditionally paid by the crowd. If the crowd appreciated the boxer's efforts, they would reward him with food, alcohol and cash. This practice still continues today but, in line with western practice, bouts pay official fees. Until recently the average purse for a fight was US$15. Today purses are based on experience. A new Neak Pradal can earn US$25 per fight. More experienced Neak Pradal's with more than a dozen fights can earn up to $75. "Brand name" Neak Pradal's can earn over $100 a fight. Special purse fights will pay up to $250 with the purse contributed by a corporate sponsor. "International" tournaments, organised by the broadcasters, will pay individual purses of up to $1000, sometimes higher.
Some of the best Pradal Serey champions come from the Battambang Province
although a number of big name stars have come via Southern Cambodia such as Eh Phoutong from Koh Kong Province
, Thun Sophea from Svay Rieng Province and Meas Chantha and Seng Makara from Kandal Province
. Neak Pradal train in a gym under a Pradal Serey kru
. Many boxers train 6–8 hours a day and 7 days a week.
. A one-and-a-half or two minute break occurs between each round. At the beginning of each match the boxers practice the praying rituals known as the kun kru. Traditional Cambodian music performed with the instruments skor yaul (a type of drum), the sralai
(reed flute) and the chhing, is played during the match. Modern boxers wear leather gloves and nylon shorts.
Rules:
Victory can be obtained by knockout. A knockout occurs when a boxer is knocked down to the ground and cannot continue fighting after a 10 second count by the referee, a referee may forgo the count and declare a knockout if it is obvious the boxer will not regain his feet unaided. Victory can be obtained at the end of the match when judges decide by a point system which fighter was more effective. If fighters end up with the same score a draw is called.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. In Khmer
Khmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...
the word pradal means fighting or boxing and serey means free. Originally used for warfare, pradal serey is now one of Cambodia's national sports. Its moves have been slightly altered to comply with the modern rules.
Pradal serey is mostly the same as unarmed kbach kun boran except it does not include mae (core techniques), tvear (door system that emphasizes footwork). Instead, it focuses more on winning a bout. While most well-known for its kicking technique, which generates power from hip rotation rather than snapping the leg, pradal serey consists of four types of strikes: punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes. The clinch is used to wear down the opponent. Compared to other forms of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n kickboxing, pradal serey emphasizes more elusive and shifty fighting stances. The Cambodian style tends to utilize more elbows than that of other regions. More victories come by way of an elbow technique than any other strikes.
History
Bokator
Bokator, or more formally, Labokkatao is a Cambodian martial art that includes close hand-to-hand combat, ground techniques and weapons. Possibly the oldest existing fighting system in Cambodia, oral tradition indicates that bokator or an early form thereof was the close quarter combat system used...
existed in the 9th century, which may be one of the reasons why the Khmer empire
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...
was such a dominant force in Southeast Asia. The kingdom of Angkor
Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara , meaning "city"...
used an early form of pradal serey, named Yuthakun khmer khom, along with various weapons and war elephants to wage war against their main enemy, the Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
-based kingdom of Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
, and later, Siam. Re-enactments of elephant battles are still recreated at the Surin Elephant Round-up
Surin Elephant Round-up
The Surin Elephant Round-up usually takes place on the third weekend of November in Surin province, Isan, Thailand. It is of recent origin, first held in 1960. The people of Surin were traditionally excellent at capturing elephants in Cambodia, then training them as working animals...
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Vietnam and Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. As a result, Cambodia has influenced much of Thai and Lao culture. This leads the Khmer to believe all Southeast Asian forms of kickboxing started with the early Mon-Khmer people; they maintain thatPradal serey derived from bokator
Bokator
Bokator, or more formally, Labokkatao is a Cambodian martial art that includes close hand-to-hand combat, ground techniques and weapons. Possibly the oldest existing fighting system in Cambodia, oral tradition indicates that bokator or an early form thereof was the close quarter combat system used...
and went on to form the basis for Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
. On top of oral stories from their ancestors, the basis of this argument are the bas-reliefs left behind by early Khmers in the ancient temples of the Bayon
Bayon
The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom...
and other Angkor temples. Much of the writing on ancient Khmer art has either been destroyed or adopted by the invading Thai armies when the Siamese sacked and looted Angkor and took Khmer captives including members of the Khmer royal court back to Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
. The Khmer warrior-king Jayavarman VII
Jayavarman VII
Jayavarman VII was a king of the Khmer Empire in present day Siem Reap, Cambodia. He was the son of King Dharanindravarman II and Queen Sri Jayarajacudamani. He married Jayarajadevi and then, after her death, married her sister Indradevi...
and the founder of a unified Laos, Fa Ngum
Fa Ngum
Somdetch Brhat-Anya Fa Ladhuraniya Sri Sadhana Kanayudha Maharaja Brhat Rajadharana Sri Chudhana Negara better known as Fa Ngum established the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang in 1354....
, were among the military leaders believed to have been trained in the old fighting styles of Cambodia.
During the colonial period
Colonial Cambodia
In 1863, Cambodia under king Norodom became a protectorate of France. In October 1887, the French announced the formation of the Union Indochinoise , which at that time comprised Cambodia, already an autonomous French possession, and the three regions of Vietnam...
, martial arts like pradal serey were considered by the European colonists to be brutal and uncivilised. The French turned the art into a sport by adding timed rounds, a boxing ring and western boxing gloves in an attempt to lessen injury. Originally matches were fought in dirt pits with limited rules while hands were wrapped in rope. Some matches had boxers wrap seashells around their knuckles to increase the damage that could be inflicted. In the 1960s, Cambodian boxing promoters held inter-martial art exhibition
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
s.
Downfall and revival of pradal serey
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Cambodia was undergoing its own civil war
Cambodian Civil War
The Cambodian Civil War was a conflict that pitted the forces of the Communist Party of Kampuchea and their allies the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Viet Cong against the government forces of Cambodia , which were supported by the United States and the Republic of Vietnam The Cambodian...
. On April 17, 1975, the Maoist Communist rebels, the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
, overthrew the government of the Khmer Republic
Khmer Republic
The Khmer Republic or République Khmère, was the republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on October 9, 1970. The Khmer Republic was disestablished in 1975 and was followed by the totalitarian communist state known as Democratic Kampuchea.-Background:Formally declared on October...
led by Lon Nol
Lon Nol
Lon Nol was a Cambodian politician and general who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice, as well as serving repeatedly as Defense Minister...
after America left the Vietnam War. The Khmer Rouge's plan was to eliminate modern society and create an agricultural utopia. The Khmer Rouge executed educated people, others who had ties to the old government or anyone who was believed to be advantaged by the old society (doctors, teachers, soldiers, actors, singers, boxers, etc.) and forced the remaining Khmer
Khmer people
Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 14.8 million people in the country. They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Mon–Khmer language family found throughout Southeast Asia...
population into labor camps, in which many died of starvation and diseases, to be re-educated under the new government. Traditional martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
were banned at this time and many boxers were executed or worked to death, which nearly caused the death of pradal serey. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians or 21% of the population died during the Khmer Rouge regime according to the studies of the Cambodia Genocide Program of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. This lasted for four years until 1979 when the Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
along with ex-Khmer Rouge officers, including current prime minister Hun Sen
Hun Sen
Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
, overthrew the Khmer Rouge. During the relative peace since the departure of the Vietnamese and the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the country's traditional arts were revived, including pradal serey.
Pradal serey is making a strong comeback since its prohibition in the 1970s. Cambodia is making an attempt to market their style of boxing at the same caliber as Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
even though its status as a fourth world country renders a lack of financial funding. Numerous gyms have opened and large masses of students, local and foreign, have come to train in Cambodia. There are weekly matches held, the majority televised live, and many of Cambodia's best have traveled internationally to compete. There are currently approximately 70 boxing clubs nationwide.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Fédération des Arts Martiaux Khmers also called FAMK, based in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Anh Binh Minh Khmer Martial Arts Association in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Kun Khmer Australia based in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Other newly created organizations can be found in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, while Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
is in the process of forming its own Khmer boxing organization. The International Sport Kickboxing Association based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
have held matches involving Cambodian boxers. Khmer boxers have fought abroad in countries such as Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
There have been concerns about the betting and rowdiness among pradal serey fans. Cambodian trainer Chiit Sarim had this to say about the difference between the boxing scene then and now, "I traveled from pagoda to pagoda to box at competitions during the water festival. Pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
s were the traditional venue for boxing matches... They [the current fans] act inappropriately. They raise up their hands and scream noisily. They gamble and do not respect the boxers. They think of only winning their bet. During my time, there was no such thing. Fights were organized nicely and were very popular. Now fans have no morality".
Cambodian Television Network
Cambodian Television Network was launched in March 2003 as a joint venture between local conglomerate the The Royal Group and Stockholm-based Modern Times Group, this free-to-air terrestrial television channel Cambodian Television Network is now part of Mobitel...
holds live tournaments on Saturday and Sunday. Bayon Television
Bayon Television
Bayon Television is a major television and radio operator in Cambodia. It was established in 1998.Bayon broadcasts from its main station in Phnom Penh but also has 4 sub-stations in Kampong Cham, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Stung Treng...
holds live kickboxing tournaments on Saturday and Sunday, while TV3
Media of Cambodia
The Cambodian media sector is vibrant and largely unregulated. This situation has led to the establishment of numerous radio, television and print media outlets...
holds a single tournament on Sunday and Apsara TV
Media of Cambodia
The Cambodian media sector is vibrant and largely unregulated. This situation has led to the establishment of numerous radio, television and print media outlets...
has added a single tournament on Thursday.
Recent exposure to pradal serey in the western world have come from travel journalists and tourists. In addition, pradal serey was featured on The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
's Human Weapon
Human Weapon
Human Weapon was a weekly television show on The History Channel that premiered on July 20, 2007. The hosts, Jason Chambers and Bill Duff, travel across the world studying the unique martial arts, or styles of fighting, that have origins in the region....
and mentioned on the Cambodian episode of Globetrekker.. In February, 2009, American footballer Dhani Jones
Dhani Jones
Dhani Makalani Jones is a former American football linebacker who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, earning All-Big Ten honors for three straight seasons. He was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of...
filmed an episode of his series Dhani Tackles the Globe
Dhani Tackles the Globe
Dhani Tackles the Globe is an American documentary television series hosted by NFL linebacker Dhani Jones of the Cincinnati Bengals, currently airing on the Travel Channel; the series follows Jones around the globe as he learns how to play international sports and simultaneously explores the...
in Phnom Penh, training with Long Salavorn at the Salavorn Keila club and fighting Pan Phanith at the CTN arena.
Songchai Ratanasuban, the number one promoter in Thailand, brought his S1 Promotion to Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
in June 2005. In the Cambodian S1 World Championship, Bun Sothea won the tournament. He defeated Michael Paszowski, Dzhabar Askerov
Dzhabar Askerov
Dzhabar "Genghis Khan" Askerov is a Dagestani-born Russian welterweight kickboxer fighting out of Askerov Team. and representing Dagestan-Russia....
and Lor Samnang in front of 30,000 people at the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium.
In 2008 Cambodian Television Network (CTN) screened a pradal serey reality television series called Kun Khmer Champion. The show featured 65 kilogramme boxers and was produced by Ma Serey and Aaron Leverton and co-hosted by Ma Serey and Cambodia's most famous kickboxer, Eh Phoutong
Eh Phoutong
Eh Phoutong is a Khmer/Chinese Cambodian professional kickboxer and former reality TV host. Born in Mondol Seima district, Koh Kong province, Cambodia, Eh Phoutong currently lives in Phnom Penh. He has a father name Yem Lim and a mother named At Uth...
. The first series was followed by a second in 2009 and a third in 2010, both co-hosted by Vorn Viva.
On August 28, 2008, Cambodian boxers Vorn Viva and Meas Chantha won the ISKA
Iska
Iska is a village in Koonga Parish, Pärnu County in southwestern Estonia....
Middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
and Welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
world titles in Phnom Penh. It was the first time a Cambodian had held a kickboxing world title.
Attempt to unite boxing styles
At an ASEAN meeting in 1995 regarding the upcoming King's Cup Muay Thai competition, Cambodia wanted to rename Muay Thai as "SovannaphumSuvarnabhumi
Suvarnabhumi or Suvannabhumi meaning the "Golden Land" or "Land of Gold", is a term coined by the ancient Indians which refers broadly to Lower Burma, Lower Thailand, Lower Malay Peninsula, the Sumatra, but more generally accepted to refer more specifically to Lower Burma...
boxing" or "SEA Boxing", which represented Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Sovannaphum means "golden land" in Khmer
Khmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...
and is written as Suwannabhumi in Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
. The name refers to mainland Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n language of Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
.
Thailand would not compromise, stating that each Southeast Asian country has its own boxing style and that Thailand was responsible for making its kickboxing an international sport. At the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
2005 Southeast Asian Games
The 23rd Southeast Asian Games were held in the Philippines from November 27 to December 5 in 2005. The games were participated by the eleven nations of Southeast Asia. This was the first time that the opening and closing ceremonies were held in a large open field, despite the fact that Manila...
, Cambodia did not enter the Muay Thai event in protest of the name used to refer to the sport.
Life as a Neak Pradal
Most Neak Pradal (Cambodian boxer) come from a poor background and compete to earn money to feed their families and themselves. Their average from age 14 to 25. Top keilakors (kickboxers) can have as many as 300 fights in their careers.Neak Pradal were traditionally paid by the crowd. If the crowd appreciated the boxer's efforts, they would reward him with food, alcohol and cash. This practice still continues today but, in line with western practice, bouts pay official fees. Until recently the average purse for a fight was US$15. Today purses are based on experience. A new Neak Pradal can earn US$25 per fight. More experienced Neak Pradal's with more than a dozen fights can earn up to $75. "Brand name" Neak Pradal's can earn over $100 a fight. Special purse fights will pay up to $250 with the purse contributed by a corporate sponsor. "International" tournaments, organised by the broadcasters, will pay individual purses of up to $1000, sometimes higher.
Some of the best Pradal Serey champions come from the Battambang Province
Battambang Province
Battambang is a province in northwestern Cambodia. It is bordered to the North with Banteay Meanchey, to the West with Thailand, and to the East and South with Pursat. The capital of the province is the city of Battambang. The name, meaning 'lost staff', refers to the legend of Preah Bat Dambang...
although a number of big name stars have come via Southern Cambodia such as Eh Phoutong from Koh Kong Province
Koh Kong Province
Koh Kong is a province of Cambodia. The name means "Kŏng Island Province". Its capital is Koh Kong.-Geography:The most south-western province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior which embraces part of the Cardamom...
, Thun Sophea from Svay Rieng Province and Meas Chantha and Seng Makara from Kandal Province
Kandal Province
Kandal is a province of Cambodia. Its capital is Ta Khmao town . The province completely surrounds, but does not include, the national capital Phnom Penh...
. Neak Pradal train in a gym under a Pradal Serey kru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
. Many boxers train 6–8 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Health risk
As with all contact sports, health risks are a factor. According to Chhoeung Yavyen, a ringside doctor for the Cambodian Amateur Boxing Association, in the past five years 30 kick boxers have sustained serious injury in the ring including broken wrists and arms, broken shins, broken noses, dislodged shoulders, hip injuries and broken jaws. One neak pradal (Cambodian boxer) died in the ring in Svay Rieng Province in 2001, but that death was the result of a heart attack, probably brought on by diet pills consumed to help the neak pradal (Cambodian boxer) reduce his weight before the bout. Most of the injuries suffered are curable and don't leave lasting problems. Most neak pradal (Cambodian boxer) are allowed to return to the ring after receiving treatment.Rules and match setup
A match consists of five three-minute rounds and takes place in a 6.1 meter square boxing ringBoxing ring
A boxing ring is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring, which is set on a raised platform, is square with a post at each corner to which four parallel rows of ropes are attached with a turnbuckle...
. A one-and-a-half or two minute break occurs between each round. At the beginning of each match the boxers practice the praying rituals known as the kun kru. Traditional Cambodian music performed with the instruments skor yaul (a type of drum), the sralai
Sralai
The sralai is a wind instrument used in the pinpeat of Cambodia. Its quadruple reed is made of palm leaf, and its body has a slightly conical bore. Its cousin, the Western oboe, has a double reed and a conical bore. The pinpeat instruments tune to the sralai's pitch, and the player must learn...
(reed flute) and the chhing, is played during the match. Modern boxers wear leather gloves and nylon shorts.
Rules:
- A boxer is not allowed to strike his opponent while he is on the ground.
- A boxer is not allowed to bite.
- When an opponent cannot continue, the referee stops the fight.
- Blows to the back of the opponent are not allowed.
- A boxer may not hold on to the ropes.
- Blows to the genitals are prohibited.
Victory can be obtained by knockout. A knockout occurs when a boxer is knocked down to the ground and cannot continue fighting after a 10 second count by the referee, a referee may forgo the count and declare a knockout if it is obvious the boxer will not regain his feet unaided. Victory can be obtained at the end of the match when judges decide by a point system which fighter was more effective. If fighters end up with the same score a draw is called.
Notable Khmer boxers
- Eh PhoutongEh PhoutongEh Phoutong is a Khmer/Chinese Cambodian professional kickboxer and former reality TV host. Born in Mondol Seima district, Koh Kong province, Cambodia, Eh Phoutong currently lives in Phnom Penh. He has a father name Yem Lim and a mother named At Uth...
: TV5 Champion, Khmer Traditional Kickboxing Champion, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen champion - Ot Phoutong: TV5 kickboxing champion
- Vorn Viva: ISKA Middleweight World Champion
- Meas Chanta: ISKA Welterweight World Champion, 2nd Cambodian S1 champion, 2006 CTN 67 kg kickboxing runner up
- Yuth Phouthorng: Koh Kong ProvinceKoh Kong ProvinceKoh Kong is a province of Cambodia. The name means "Kŏng Island Province". Its capital is Koh Kong.-Geography:The most south-western province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior which embraces part of the Cardamom...
governor and original teacher of Eh Phouton - Thun SopheaThun SopheaThun Sophea is a professional kickboxer from Svay Rieng, Cambodia. He is the 2006 Cambodian Television Network Traditional Khmer Kickboxing champion.-External links:* *...
: 2006 CTN 67 kg kickboxing champion - Bun Sothea: Cambodian S1 champion
- Oumry Ban: Cambodian champion prior to Democratic KampucheaDemocratic KampucheaThe Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
and current trainer in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257... - May Sopheap: 2007 CTN 67 kg kickboxing champion
- Ven Savath: 2007 CTN 67 kg kickboxing runner up
See also
- Kbach kun boran
- Khmer traditional wrestlingKhmer Traditional WrestlingKhmer traditional wrestling is a folk wrestling style from Cambodia. It has been practiced as far back as the Angkor period and is depicted on the bas-reliefs of certain temples. Although predominantly a male sport today, Khmer wrestling was once practiced by both sexes as female wrestlers are...
- LethweiLethweiLethwei is an unarmed Burmese martial art. It is similar to related styles of Indochinese kickboxing, namely Muay Thai from Thailand, pradal serey from Cambodia, Muay Lao from Laos and tomoi from Malaysia.- History :...
- Muay Lao
- TomoiTomoiTomoi is an unarmed martial art from Malaysia. It is closely related to other Indochinese boxing styles, such as as muay Thai in Thailand, pradal serey in Cambodia, muay Lao in Laos and lethwei in Myanmar....
External links
- European Khmer Boxing Federation
- Fédération des Arts martiaux Khmers
- The Current Situation of Cambodia's Ancient Fighting Arts
- Interview With Eh Phu Tong
- Khmer Kickboxing Art Felled by Khmer Rouge Makes Comeback
- A night at the kickboxing: Going for the Goolies in Phnom Penh
- Sunrise Bradahl Serey Kru Sarun Chea
- Cambodian Online-Women on top in boxing revival
- Khmer Boxing news from Cambodia