NAMSAKNOI YUDTHAGARNGAMTORN
INTERVIEW OF NAMSAKNOI YUDTHAGARNGAMTORN
by Serge TREFEU (2017)
(Thank to Angie)
Serge TREFEU: Hello Namsaknoi, how are you?
Hello Serge, I’m doing great, thank you
How old are you ?
I’m turning 38 this year
Which region of Thailand do you come from?
I come from a small fishing village in the town of Chaiya, Surat Thani, south of Thailand
Are you married ?
Not yet, but I am with my partner for 2 years
You have brothers and sisters ?
I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters, I’m the youngest in the family
Your brothers was boxers too?
Only one brother used to be a fighter his name is Ges. He was my first Muay Thai idol. I started training Muay Thai after watching him train and fight
You started boxing at what age?
I started training at 8 years old
THE YOUNG NAMSAKNOI STARTED THE BOXING VERY EARLY
At what age did you make your first fight?
My first fight was at 8 years old, few months after I started training
You won how much money for your first fight?
I made 150 baht. I gave all of it to my mum
How you discovered the boxing?
My older brother Ges was already training and fighting. It looked like fun. And when he told me I can make money from fighting, I told him I want to be a fighter too
In what camp you began your formation?
I trained in two small camps in my home town – Pon Pichit, and Sit Kru Pan
You trained with your brother Ges, the training was hard?
Yes the training was very hard. One day during our daily jogging before training, we were chased by wild dogs. I panicked and fell on rocks, I hurt my knees. Impossible to continue, my brother helped me to bring me back to the training camp. Our coach saw us enter the gym and he was angry that we got home earlier. He rejected our desperate explanations and made us run again. In addition to that, he punished me by growing me a motorcycle in some sand and the gravel with sat him above. It was the pathetic show, the lean kid that bled spirit to try to push this motorcycle. My foot slid several times on the gravel and my legs burned me with fatigue and with pain. I cried for tears of rage and for humiliation when I pushed my trainer who shouted me above to go faster…
You made many fights for this camp?
I had around 50 fights in both camps before I went to Bangkok
You did how much gym?
I was in Kiatsingnoi Gym for around 5 years, until I won my first Fighter of the Year award and after in Por Pramuk Gym
KIATSINGNOI GYM
How long you stay in Por Pramuk Gym, you were training with Buakaw in Por Pramuk Gym ?
I stayed 8 years at Por Pramuk Gym. Buakaw was my junior at Por Pramuk. He was three years younger than me
NAMSAKNOI AT THE CAMP POR PRAMUK WITH IN PARTICULAR THE STAR BUAKAW AND THE YOUNG FRENCH DAMIEN ALAMOS (LUMPINEE CHAMPION)
NAMSAKNOI AND BUAKAW TRAINED FOR A LONG TIME TOGETHER IN POR PRAMUK GYM
Towards what age you are fought for the first time in Bangkok?
I was 13 years old when I started fighting in Bangkok
You have done how much fight in the stadium of the Lumpinee? And Ratchadamnoen stadium ?
Most of my fights were in Lumpinee, there were too many to remember. Only a few at Rajadamnern
In which category you fought?
I fought at 112 lbs, 126 lbs, 130 lbs, and finally at 135 lbs
What titles did you win?
I won my first major belts in 1995, I beat Neungpichit Sityodtong for Lumpinee belt in 112 lbs and WMC World Champion belt in 112 lbs. In 1999, I won Lumpinee belt in 130 lbs against Lamnammoon Sor Sumalee. In 2000, I won Lumpinee belt in 135 lbs against Kaolan Kaovichit. I kept my Lumpinee belt in 135 lbs until 2006, I defended my belt successfully against Noppadet Sengsimaigym, Nontachai Sit O (Twice) and Samranchai 96 Peenang. And in 2010 I won WAKO World Muay Thai belt in 154 lbs against an Italian (Diego Calzolari), I beat him by KO
How much you made of fights?
I have around 300 fights, of which 280 wins, 15 losses, and 5 draws
You gained many victories by KO?
Not so many, most of my wins are by decision
You had which style of fight on the boxing ring?
I’m usually a Muay Fimeuu (Technical), but when I fight another Muay Fimeuu (Such as Saenchai), I switch to Muay Khao (Strong in knees) style
What was your technique preferred in fight?
I like to use my left lead leg kick
What was your hardest fight?
My hardest fight was against Attachai Fairtex. He was a southpaw and was very tricky and hard to read. The fight result was a draw
ATTACHAI AGAINST NAMSAKNOI
Your best memory of fight?
My best memory is my 5th fight against Samkor Kiatmontep. He’s a very strong southpaw with very powerful left kicks. In our earlier fights he beat me two times, I won one time and draw one time. So I was happy to win our 5th fight
NAMSAKNOI AGAINST SAMKOR A CLASSIC OF THE YEARS 90
What are the known fighters that you met?
I have fought Saenchai (Win), Lamnammoon (Win), Kaolan (Win), Neungpichit (Win), Nontachai (Win), Kobayashi (Win), Samkor (2 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw), Attachai (Draw), Thongchai (Win), Narupol (Lose), Pajonsuk (Win), Noppadet (Win), Samranchai (Win), Kotchasarn (Draw)…
You have already fought abroad?
Only a handful of times abroad in Japan, Korea, Macau and Italy
What is the best foreign boxer for you, now and before?
I’m not really familiar with foreign boxers but the best that comes to mind is Ramon Dekkers
What is according to you the best Thai fighter at present?
Saenchai and Buakaw
What do you think of the fighters today, are they as strong as your time?
I think they are okay, it’s hard to compare as today’s fighting styles are different from before
Do you know French fighters? Now and old french champion?
I know of Skarbowsky, Damien Alamos, Farid Villaume, Dany Bill
For what promoter you fought before?
Mostly under Onesongchai and Por Pramuk
Who taught you your beautiful ram muay that you did in each of your fights?
It’s my cousin, who was a main trainer when I was a boy, he watched the ram muays from other famous fighters and improvised into his version
THE RAM MUAY OF NAMSAKNOI WAS SPLENDID (RAM MUAY OF THE ARCHER)
What was your purse in Thailand when you fought? You had a good purse ?
Around 150,000 thai baht on average in my peak
You managed to live well thanks to boxing?
I managed to build a new family house for my parents and pay off family debts. But I did not have much personal savings when I retire from fighting, due to poor judgment and mismanagement of my winnings from my previous boss. However a few years after retirement, I was invited to work at Evolve MMA in Singapore, where I spent 6 years teaching. Thanks to Evolve MMA and Chatri Sityodtong, I was able to save up and realise my dream of building my own Muay Thai gym in Thailand
NAMSAKNOI WITH HIS FATHER AND MOTHER WHO HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED IN HIS LONG BOXER CAREER
NAMSAKNOI WAS COACH FOR 6 YEARS AT THE EVOLVE MMA GYM IN SINGAPORE
NAMSAKNOI BEAT THE GREAT CHAMPION LAMNAMOON GRACE HAS A POKE WHICH STOPPED HIM IN THE THIRD ROUND. IT WAS IN 1999 FOR THE BELT OF THE LUMPINEE IN 130 LBS. 10 YEARS AFTER THEIR TERRIBLE FIGHT, NAMSAKNOI AND LAMNAMOON WERE TRAINERS TOGETHER IN THE ELVOVE MMA GYM IN SINGAPORE WITH ALSO BIG CHAMPIONS AS CHAOWALIT JOCKYGYM, ORONO WOR PETCHPUN, CHATRI SITYODTONG
Today you are trainer in which gym in Thailand?
Today I’m lucky to have my own gym on the island of Koh Pha Ngan « Namsaknoi Muay Thai Club » opened in October 2016
NAMSAKNOI WITH HIS BIG BROTHER GES WHO IS NOW COACH IN NAMSAKNOI GYM
NAMSAKNOI IS NOW A “KHRU” (PROFESSOR) WHO TEACHS HIS KNOWLEDGE WITH PASSION
THE GREAT CHAMPION DENKIRI SOR SOMMAÏ (LUMPINE CHAMPION, TV 7 CHAMPION) IS NOW COACH AT NAMSAKNOI GYM
THE NAMSAKNOI GYM IS A VERY NICE CAMP SITUATED ON THE BEAUTIFUL KOH PHA NGAN ISLAND
TECHNICAL SPARRING WITH NAMSAKNOI
Thank you very much for the interview
Thank to you Serge
Namsaknoi is a legend of the boxing rings which made history of Muay Thai. He was one of the best fighters of his generation and certainly the most talented technician of the 2000s. He holds the longest reign as champion of the Lumpinee by having remained unconquered for 6 years for the title of champion of Lumpinee in 135 lbs. This long reign he been worth the nickname of ” The Emperor ” by the fans of Muay Thai. But he was also called “Rachanramuay” (King of Ramuay) and “Ram Muay Mokii” (Ram Muay of sorcerer) in reference to the magnificent Ram Muay/Way Khru whom he made to each of his fights. Namsaknoi received twice the trophy from ” Best Ramuay/ Way Khru of the year ” in 2001 and in 2006.
His born name is Muhammud Chaiyamart and his name of fighter “Namsaknoi” was given to him at the beginning of his career to honor his uncle who was an immense champion and who was called “Namsak Yuntarakit”. Namsak was the first fighter to receive the trophy of “Best boxer” by King of Thailand. “Namsak” wants to say « The powerful ». And “Namsaknoi” corresponds to the “Powerful Junior (Noi = Young, little)”!
NAMSAK YUNTARAKIT
Namsaknoi beat practically all the great champions of his time such as Saenchai Sor Kingstar (Best boxer of the year in 1999 and in 2008), Lamnammoon Sor Sumalee, Kaolan Kaovichit (Best boxer of the year in 1998), Neungpichit Sityodtong, Nontachai Sit O, Samkor Kietmontep, Thongchai Thor Silachai (Best boxer of the year in 2001), Pajonsuk Lookprabat, Noppadet Sengsimaigym, Samranchai 96 Peenang, Mangkon Kietsomkoum and it’s one of the rare fighters to have beaten by TKO the big Japanese champion Satoshi Kobayashi!
NAMSAKNOI WITH JAPANESE KOBAYASHI LEGENDARY, 15 YEARS AFTER THEIR FIGHT IN JAPAN
Namsaknoi was awarded the “Best Boxer of the Year” trophy by the two most prestigious Thai associations. In 1996, he was voted best boxer of the year by “The Sportswriters Association of Thailand” and in 1999 by “The Sports Authority of Thailand” !
THE BOXER OF THE YEAR TROPHY THE SPORTSWRITERS ASSOCIATION OF THAILAND, NAMSAKNOI IN 1996 (THAI YEAR 2539)
NAMSAKNOI RECEIVED A LOT OF TROPHY
NAMSAKNOI IN SPECIALIZED MAGAZINES
NAMSAKNOI YUDTHAGARNGAMTORN
Born name: Muhammud Chaiyamart
Nickname: The Emperor
Date of birth: 13 October 1979
Weight: 135 lbs
Height: 1.75m
Number of fight: 300. 280 wins. 15 losses. 5 draws
Title: WAKO World champion in 154 lbs (2010), Lumpinee champion in 135 lbs (2000), Lumpinee champion in 130 lbs (1999), Lumpinee champion in 112 lbs (1995), WMC World Champion in 112 lbs (1995), Ford Ranger Tournament 126 lbs Champion, Champion of South of Thailand in 126 lbs, PABA Boxing Champion in 135 lbs, Champion of South of Thailand in 95 lbs
Honorary title: Best Fighter of the Year 1996 by the Sportswriters Association of Thailand, Best Fighter of the Year 1999 by the Sports Authority of Thailand, Best Wai Kru/Ram Muay of the Year 2001, Best Wai Kru/Ram Muay of the Year 2006
Team: KIATSINGNOI GYM, POR PRAMUK GYM
NAMSAKNOI MUAY THAI CLUB
53/8 MOO 2 KOH PHA NGAN
84 280 SURATHANI
THAILAND
Website of Namsaknoi Gym : namsaknoimuaythai.com
“THE EMPEROR” IN ACTION
