KAMEL JEMEL
Interview of KAMEL JEMEL by Serge TREFEU (2009)
Serge TREFEU: Hello Kamel, how’s that goes after your fight in front of redoubtable Thai Bowy which took place 5 days ago?
KAMEL JEMEL: Very well, a big match which gave me whole satisfaction because I had in front of me an opponent of very big value. The fight it is unwound as we had wished it against an opponent who advances a lot, I managed well his power, the movements and the put away. I am very satisfied, if it is not just a little on the decision, I think that at the end I deserved a point beforehand…
The fight it is ended by a draw?
Yes a draw. It is true that on the greatness of the fight, it deserved a draw. We were everything them brave two on this meeting. But if we take the count again in Thailand, over the end I accelerate well and I think of gaining the last round and it is what makes the difference…
Bowy it is all the same a sacred fighter, to make a draw against him it is already a big performance, no?
Yes it is a sacred fighter. That was a pure pleasure and of the happiness, it is hard to say it because it is true that Bowy it is a real stream roller, a small bull, a rock. When you boxing you have the impression not to hurt him because he is very hermetic, he has a very brought in neck and he advances all the time. One not it is not made by present but there was a true pleasure in the respect that we were able to be exchanged through this fight. In every exchange of the end of round there was an embrace, hugging and kissing…
It is the big mutual respect which it is created between you during this fight?
Yes a lot of respect but it is the mark of the big. Arrived at the moment when you fight against a guy and when you know that opposite that answers and that it is hard also, it forces the respect, it is was is crossed during this fight
We are going to return a little to your debuts in the boxing, you grew in which region of France?
I grew in the city of Rosny-Sous-Bois in 93 (Paris suburb), not far from Paris
You began the boxing towards which age?
I started the boxing towards the age of 12-13 years. And I me reminder always it is a little the competition of circumstance that brought me to the boxing. I did not know the boxing it is an educator of district Rachid Bakouch who saw that we missed in our problem area, that we made nothing of our a day then he thus imposed us an activity ” Thai Boxing”. That I go into this gym of boxing, that was a revelation for me. And from 23 years behind it was only of the happiness …
It is your first gym in the city of Rosny-Sous-Bois?
Yes I was always faithful to my gym. But later I had changes of trainers. Today I am with Abdel Bedour and Rachid Benmiloud who accompany me all the time through my fights. The city of Rosny was always present, the Mayor, Claude Pernès, Claude Capillon, RTV, all people are for many in the success of my career. It is alchemy with all these people’s associates that made that my career is there today …
What was the first important title that you gained?
I am crossed by all the stages, I ‘m not cut corners, championship of French Island, French championship, European championship and until World title. But for me the most important whether it is the first championship of French Island in that of the world champion or this fight against Bowy, they have each an importance. It is as a big puzzle, without the first piece you cannot finish him. The story began well, I arrive to 35 years and I think that last Saturday I demonstrated that I was still present!
Have you a good healthy life because it is true that in 35 years it is harder than in 20 years to stay in the Top in the boxing?
Yes I am someone very serious, regular. I make two daily trainings at the rate of five days a week. For me it is an obligation to be always in the ultimate to give a beautiful show and arrive at the weight. It is sure that after a career of more than 20 years you can grow tired, have it a little have a good laugh but if I continuous it is that I still want to go to the training. Thus it obliges me to be rigorous in the training, to pay attention on my food, to recover well, not to go out in the evening. I put a sense of honor to calculate and to respect all these parameters. It is advises it that I can look to all the young people. I think unpretentious to have to make of a well performed career and to give a small lesson of life…
Exactly which importing advice would give you to a young person who begins boxer’s career?
To be always serious in the training, to eat correctly, to question it and not to be allowed go. Some which gains five or six fights then is allowed go, they believe that they go ” to break everything “, not it does not work like that. The road is long, filled with pitfalls and if you want to be the best, it is necessary to meet the best. Most hard it is the training and me I was at the best school and I can thank all my trainers and especially one, Abdel Bedour who always questions me. When I go into his gym have is about forty pupils, and I am the similar that the others. There is which began one year ago and I am in the same scale as they, I’m train me as them, I respect the parameters of trainings and that’s right the success of a career…
It is what we call a “Humble” boxer, it is a little what you are?
It is in my personality, I like to stay in my place. ” To be full oneself ” me it does not interest me, I always learnt to respect my opponent. Every time I make a fight, I have a prayer before the fight, it is for me and it is also before for my opponent. I wish that a thing it is that God protect us everything them two and that we take out of the fight everything them two in good health. Because for me the boxing it is one of the sports the most beautiful, the noblest as we say ” the noble Art “, we are very made, very badly on the fights but we respect ourselves a lot. Contrary to the other sports, I am not going to quote them all but for example the football or the values of respect one a little disappeared…
In Thai boxing, this respect between the opponents is important for you?
Yes to us in Thai boxing, as you see him Thai are very respectful. They want to win it is sure but they do not want it to your person, nor to your integrity, it is of the sport…
There is not hostility between the boxers?
Not never, exactly it is when there is of the hostility that the fight is less beautiful. As the fight which I have made against Bowy, at the end of every round, and it is instinctive, we embrace each other. And it does not prevent us in the 2nd round from leaving in the war in the good direction the term. Till the end we finished on the knees and one it is greeted on the knees, it is too beautiful, and we can see that only in the boxing…
How many fight until today?
I’m 131 fights, 121 wins, 9 Losses et 1 draw
It is your first draw against Bowy?
Yes it is the first one!
You won a lot of fight by Knock Out?
Yes 97 fights before the limit!
It is enormous 97 KO, you have also make hard fights?
I have made a lot of hard fight but it was never fights hard in my physical integrity. I met very hard opponents but if it was hard for me what is sure it is that it was hard also for them every time. My opponents they also remember it themselves because when they see me, there is a lot of respect between us. The boys as Attachai, Somrack, Anuwat, Bowy and others than I forget, they are good memories for them too thus that been hard for them too. Today I arrive at the age of 35, I do not want to fight against time but I meet myself in 35 years intact because it is true I won many fights before the limit. Thus the past on the boxing ring I did not really suffer…
What is your best memory of fight until to day?
My first fight simply. After all the others it is different but this is remains my best memory, the most intense it is my first fights because that’s right which was the release mechanism of all the continuation. But I would say that the fights against Thai are all good memories, the true fights it is against Thai. I have big memories in front of them, I met about sixty and it is a privilege to meet them!
How it is crossed your first fight?
For my first fight I met a boy who made two head furthermore than me and at least six kilos more than me. I won with my pluck, there was all around all my area, all my pals. And that remains my most beautiful memory because that is the release mechanism of the motivation which allowed me to climb this hill until today…
What was your hardest fight?
My first one fights against Attachai in Las Vegas. This fight was hard at every level, physically, psychologically. Attachai was young, very fresh champion of the Lumpinee, it was the big star of time. Me I face him with little of weapon which I had in my ownership, to like in front of him. And it is the only one who made me break physically and mentally. It is one of my hardest fights. Today it is a great pal, after the event of Levallois, on Sunday we ate together a couscous at the house with Narupol I is them make discover the Tunisian gastronomy. We ate a Tunisian couscous and they feasted. As what the combat sports very, very hard as our it created by the links which you cannot find in the other sports, as I said it higher…
In what year you left for Thailand?
In 1991, I had left at the true school Thai, I slept in camps, I ‘m training with them, I had the Thai rhythm. I have made that during more than year…
It was in which camp?
It was to the camp Sit Or, the small camp that was in Pattaya close to the camp Sityothong. In the time in 1991 there was no foreigner who training in the Thai camps. It was not as today with camps to tourists, to business. It was camps in the former. And I lived a true experience and this experience allowed me to strengthen even more my love for the Kick boxing…
You perfected your bases of Muay Thai, over there?
Yes I had good trainers. It is sure that there are lots of small technique, of small blow of vice which you cannot learn in France. Gestural techniques which you can learn only at them, because it stays their sports, they are the instigators of this sport. It is as Brazilians for the football, Thai it is the Thai boxing!
Do you fought in a big stadium of Bangkok?
I fought in different stadium, little in all so as Lumpinee Stadium. I fought five times in the King’s Birthday!
How much you have make of fight in Thailand?
I have made about twenty fights over there
You also fought a lot abroad?
Yes thanks to TV Canal Plus and to Sami Kebchi (promoter) I fought in the whole world. In the United States, in all the region of Europe, to Abu Dhabi, in Japan, in Africa, in Reunion, in Thailand…
What that still motivate Kamel Jemel today?
I am always motivated. I like for example what it is crossed in the event on Saturday, the privilege with the public. We need this gratitude also. And to make still performances, as for example fights against Bowy, it advances me
You would like to make still fights as that in front of Bowy?
Yes I am leaving for that. At the bottom of the boxing ring I am opened, kind with everybody but as soon as I rise on the boxing ring, I am transformed, I am as “a hyena “, I need that. I am ready to fight anybody, I have never moved back in front of any opponent, in equal weight in the truths rules of Muay Thai, I am ready to take any opponent!
Have you fights for soon?
My next fight is normally in Tunisia, on my native earth, on July 28th. I meet a Serbian for a world title of Thai boxing Wako. It is going to be for me a big moment in my career because I have never fought at home, in Tunisia. And I am very happy to make this fight thanks to Imed Mathlouthi (World Champion Full-Contact) and all the Tunisian officials who support me over there…
Thank you for this interview and CHOOKDEE for your fight in Tunisia
Thank you very much
Kamel Jemel makes left these big French champions who met the best boxers of the planet, it is a very great champion, humble and generous. He won in front of tenors of the category as Ramba, Pinlimit, Ali Oubaali, Ponsak, Jamel Yacouben, Ziani, Johnny Catherine, Wannai Pongpilla, Ploedean. And he fought champions redoubtable such as Khaled Hébieb, Attached, Somrack, Issornassak, Ait Bassou, Samir Mohamed, Kongpipop, Anuwat, Bowy. His big strength is its determination and especially its incredible punch, it is for nothing that we nickname him “Mister Dynamite”!
KAMEL JEMEL
Height : 1m68
Weight : 57/59 Kg and 62/63 kg
Number of fight: 131. 121 wins. 9 Losses. 1 Draw. 97 KO !
Title : World Champion Thai Boxing (2002, 2003). Europe Champion Thai Boxing (2000,2001). 7 times France Champion Thai Boxing. Winner Tournament Kick Boxing TKR (2004)
Gym : Rosny Sous Bois Gym