The Unforgiving Kicks Part 23 - WORLD AT WAR 1990’S

End of a Legendary Kicker

Nokvid Devy, most sensational kicker of the 80’s has left behind many fond memories. He was no saint, but a down-to-earth, loving, very Thai-ish man. His fighting skills are legendary, being the most luminous of four fighter brothers in the family. He had traded kicks with the best legends of his time : Saengtiennoi (5 times losing 4), Sakad (twice with one win/draw), Wanpadej (3:3), and kayoed Jomhod in 3 rounds at Phang Nga (9 January, 1989).

At one point, there was an attempt to match him with Payap, but for some reason, a collision between the two best kickers failed to realise.

He had a few run-in with the law later in life – dope, girls and fighting, and spent his twilight years as beloved trainer in the WMC center in Phuket, before switching to his own club at Koh Samui. While employed by Mr. Stephen Fox, he fought in South Africa, losing a kayo (surprise) to local fight game magnate, Quentin Chong.

Before leaving the 80’s, there were a few events that must not be overlooked. The most memorable muaythai battle, on the home front, had to be the first clash between Krongsak with Dieselnoi, 1985. In five grueling rounds, the two battled non-stop, to a draw in the end. It was the best fight of the year, the price : 5 stitches (Dieselnoi forehead), and 7 stitches (Krongsak’s cheek).

Real Genius Samart returns to Stardom

The next conflict that warrants unreserved praise was the Samart – Panomtuanlek match, 1988. It was the Ring Genius’ first comeback fight upon leaving pro boxing – having won and lost the WBC world 122 pound crown. Panomtuenlek, junior to Dieselnoi and Chamuakpetch in the camp of Somchai Duangprasertdi (Mr. Kuang), popular mafia man with the No.2 top camp in the kingdom. Tidal Kneer Panomtuanlek was a fearless knee assailant, took honour as Fighter of the Year 1986 (5-0 record and highest purse), coming back strong after winning the rematch against “Bitter Face” sorcerer Manasak. It was, for all practical purposes, a premier attraction……

To everyone’s surprise, the “Handsome Killer” Samart, having been away from free-style contest for four years, exploded into action like a bomb, in a lopsided performance that may best be described as a Hollywood kungfu set – where the muaythai legend leveled a panoramic right side kick (lateral-spurning) 22 times in all, dispatching his rival literally flying off, no less than four times, a-la Bruce Lee style kicking in Enter the Dragon.

Then, a flurry of hooks and uppercut spelled the end to the show, at 2: 40 of round one.

It was fascinating to see muaythai, a rough and brutal combat sport, could be presented at such a high level of artistry, to impress all in attendance to the point of ecstasy. It was, truly, one supreme performance by the undisputed muaythai legend.

Controversy in Broadway

The next, which the author has seen fit to entitle “Endless Controversy in Broadway,” was the challenge match between Sakad (Fist of Pimai) and Pete “Sugarfoot” Cunningham, dated 10 September, 1988, at Celebrity Theatre, Anaheim, Los Angeles, U.S.A. It was only three months in the wake of the riotous first IMF World Muaythai Championships, when Cunningham captured the 140 pound world muaythai title belt from the newly-founded body.

Critics in Thailand were agitated by the fact that, the title had been won not only by a foreigner (who had never done muaythai) but in a match inconsistent with rules recognized by Bangkok’s stadiums – i.e. no elbow strikes or kneeing in clinches allowed. That was also compounded by the outburst of unrestrained violence between the partisan crowds (Latin American-Mexican vs. Thai), a scandalous incident that had given the ugliest colour ever to muaythai in the United States. With this backdrop, the latent animosity was mutual, and the atmosphere inside the arena, near explosion.

Sakad, at 140, was in great form and mounted tremendous pressure on the local star right from the outset. Sugarfoot Cunningham , scaling a lean 139 pounds, was without question the fastest fighting machine on earth, with body built like a panther, superb fists-and-feet dynamo plus extra-ordinary mobility, was one damn crafty evasionist. After intense action through four rounds, things were pretty even, when the Thai caught his Roadrunning man with jumping body kicks (as counter), and a classic low-sweeping kick that fell the transplanted hero, indicating a sure surge of points favoring the Thai.

No, not this time… it came out as a draw, the Thai shook his head in disdain, whilst the Canadian Sugarfoot nodded with relief.

The adjudication was in the author’s view unquestionably faulty, but the irony is, controversy, more often than not, is conducive to rewarding publicity and wider spectators appeal. A rematch in Sidney, Australia, was convened later under ISKA rules (11 rounds). This time, Cunningham was clearly the better one with condition, and hence won the decision.

Apocalypse Las Vegas, 1988

Two other bouts in the 80’ should go down in history as most iconic fights. For one, Rick Roufus vs. Changpheuak, at Las Vegas Sands Hotel and Casino, on 25 November, 1988, has been the most talked-about conflict in modern kickboxing history.

The outcome of that match, a triumph for the Thai (who suffered a broken jaw), as opposed to leg bone fractures to the disabled American champion, was iconic in terms of atrocity. In the original card, Changpheuak was actually scheduled to fight Pete Cunningham at 140 pounds, but that was changed before fight-time.

Roufus, 167, the best American talent at the time and a champion two divisions over, was put in. The Thai camp wanted Thai-rules but that was vetoed. In the end ISKA rules were adopted.

It was pandemonium right from the first round, when Super Elephant Changpheuak (beefed up to 163) was floored by a shifted left straight to the jaw, at reaching the last minute point. He was up before the 8-count, but went down again from punches (and kicked on the face while seated on his bottom at the ropes). He rose, beating the count, and battled out of blue (his) corner, though his eye vision was all glassy. The second was a see-saw game, as the Thai, still badly shaken from the assault, fired 30 kicks to hold his rival off. It worked.

Round three saw Changpheuak stabilized in the game, taking control of the fight, and decked his foe three times (one an illegal throw). The American soldier was, like his pursuer, highly strung to the point of criticality. Their faces mirrored only one purpose: I am not going to die today. The delicate part of the game was, by then, Changpheuak had already lost three penalty points (for fouls). With Roufus being dominant in the first (two points ahead), perhaps even in the second, and probably one point behind in the third, that means he had a 4-point lead going into the fourth. Should he survive the remaining rounds, say with a deficit of one point each, he could theoretically, still be winner.

But the crude reality was: Roufus’ legs were practically gone in the third, the end was just a matter of time…

Changpheuak, in a pitiful, half-conscious state, forged ahead and fired kick after kick, at his man... there was not the slightest hint of any artistry, just workmanlike attempts to destroy.

Roufus was fleeing for life, as the hunter literally chased for the kill. The fight was stopped when Roufus fell after 15 leg kicks, the second time, at 1:23 in round four. Collectively, the Thai had unloaded a total number of 90 kicks at his adversary,

It was not a muaythai match, but the implication of the contest, the sensational struggle by the fighters, contrasting style and skills displayed, severity of damages inflicted, plus the death-defying mentality exhibited, altogether projected the match to a level of eternal greatness far beyond the ordinary. One has to concede, the drama was violent, and brutal, technically controversial (slippery floor), with sloppy refereeing (poor enforcement) and either contestant desperately trying to survive. The Thai was half-conscious after the two traumatic knockdowns in the first, and his adversary then becoming the hunted, was down and up… until humanity dictated a halt to the painful proceedings.

The combined effect of all these components has elevated the hybrid contest to the status of a biblical drama, that transcends the abstract barrier between kickboxing and muaythai. It was one enormous lesson in the encounter, that deserves to be studied and digested by practitioners and teachers of all martial disciplines, for it was precisely what fighting is all about.