Becoming a “Warrior” in Thailand. Ch 1, Pt 10: Western Boxing with Chokchai.

The Renaissance Man Project is an original non-fiction novel by Nathaniel Kostar, occasionally known as Nate Lost. Follow @natelost

That afternoon after a much-needed siesta I bump into Roberto on the way out of my apartment. Roberto’s my only neighbor in the non-descript duplex apartment at the end of the road where we spend nearly all our time; training at Tiger, eating at Tony’s, sleeping in whatever apartment or dormitory we’ve rented. He’s a 6’3’’ wiry Italian man in his mid 30’s, and I’ve seen him training two sessions a day since I’ve been here. He told me once at Tony’s after a tough morning session that he’s come with the intention of fighting in Thailand. But he has no delusions about making a career out of it. He works construction back in Italy. He’s old for a fighter. He has other dreams. But this, to fight in Thailand as a Muay Thai fighter—and to win!— he wants this for himself.

“Nate! Where are you headed?” he asks.

I happen to be headed to the afternoon beginner Muay Thai session, again. The classes are less grueling now, but the monotony of training has set in.

“Want to come to Western Boxing with me?” he says. “It’s great. You know Chokchai?”

I’ve worked with Chokchai during the morning Muay Thai classes. He often pulls me aside in a gentle, unassertive, almost playful sort of way, and explains basic Muay Thai technique with patient precision. He’s soft-spoken and friendly, everything the head trainer, Dang, is not.

“I do. Nice guy. He’s a boxer?” I ask.

Turns out Chokchai wasn’t just a famous Muay Thai fighter, he was a world-class boxer. His claim to fame, besides a 39-5 (19 KO’s) record as a flyweight, is that he lost his Oriental flyweight boxing title to the much younger Filipino boxer, Manny Pacquiao in 1997 in Manila.

At the time, Chokchai, was heavily favored to win. And Manny, though his talent and potential must have been apparent, was a 20-year-old kid unknown to the world.

For the first five rounds Chokchai was winning the fight, although it would have been close to call. And then in a moment I imagine he dreams about to this day, an untimely duck brought Chokchai’s forehead and a ferocious Pacquiao left-uppercut into the same space, and well, there just wasn’t any room for the forehead.

Now Pacquiao is a multi-millionaire and a senator in the Philippines. He’s had a career that ranks him, according to ESPN, as #2 on the list of top pound-for-pound boxers of all-time.

And Chokchai is stuck trying to teach my sorry ass how to throw a jab.

Chockchai and I.

Chokchai is sitting on a tire joking and laughing with another trainer when we arrive at the ring for Western Boxing. He greets us with a warm smile and hello. He remembers me from the beginner Muay Thai class and offers to tie my hand-wraps. As he takes the long yellow cotton wraps and weaves them between my fingers and around my wrists with the expertise of a man who's performed this ritual thousands of times, I can’t help but think about how he traded blows with Manny Pacquiao.

But Chokchai seems just as intrigued by me, and as he works on the wraps he asks me questions: Where you from? How long you here? Why you want box?

Once the wraps are secure he stands up and tells me to warm-up on the rubber tire he was sitting on. There are tractor-size tires stationed on the outskirts of almost every section of the camp. To warm-up, you spread your legs wide in an exaggerated fighter’s stance and jump lightly on the inside ring while twisting your body back and forth and shadow boxing. It loosens the muscles in your legs and gets you up on your toes, ready to spring forward, backward, or side-to-side as need-be.

As I dance around the tire, Chokchai turns to Roberto who is tying his own wraps and slaps him on the back good-naturedly.

“Roberto!” he says. “How you today?”

To read Becoming a "Warrior" in Thailand. Ch 1, Pt 9 : YOGA click here

LINKS

Manny Pacquiao vs Chokchai Chockvivat, June 26th, 1997, Manila, Phillipines -for the OPBF Flyweight Championship.

The Renaissance Man Project has been in the works for many years and I'm excited to release pieces of it on Steemit. If you want to support the book please hit me w/ an Upvote & Follow @natelost if you're on Steemit. And if you're not on Steemit, you should consider checking it out, especially if you're a content creator.

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Muchisimas gracias for reading and supporting independent art.
MAD Love.

Read Intro, Part 1
Read Intro, Part 2
Read Intro, Part 3
Read Intro, Part 4

Read Ch 1, Part 1
Read Ch 1, Part 2
Read Ch 1, Part 3
Read Ch1, Part4
Read Ch 1, Part 5
Read Ch 1, Part 6
Read Ch 1, Part 7
Read Ch 1, Part 8
Read Ch 1, Part 9. Yoga.

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