Bon Knocked Out

There were 2 boxers from the gym at the Ratchadamnoen Stadium fights tonight, one fighter named  Bo lost by decision the second fighter was Bon 20 years old who had been training for 14 years since he was 6. Bon fought well through round 1 and 2 and I thought he was dominating the other Muay Thai boxer. Then in round 3 WHAM, Bon was on the canvas knocked out cold and the other boxer was dancing around the ring and jumping up on the ropes with his hands in the air.

The medical people ran into the ring with a stretcher and quickly placed Bon on it and whisked him out of the ring to the medical room. I was not sure if I could follow but since a Thai photographer and videographer ran after the stretcher so did I. They took Bon to a medical room and when I got there were splashing water on his face and putting smelling salts other his nose, he was slow to wake up it took about 2 minutes before he could sit up. Bon had been out cold, they asked him a few questions and he answered and that was it, out of the medical room and onto a chair outside. Then within 2 minutes of him being taken out of the medical room the videographer starts filming and a media guy sits down and starts interviewing Bon, he asked him a number of questions I could not hear but it looked like the interviewer was not getting much out of Bon because after 5 or 6 questions he stopped the interview. This is the first time I have ever seen a concussed athlete being interviewed so quickly after being unconscious, did they expect him to be able to speak fluently on what the right hook to the chin did to him? Bon was half awake and confused he did not need to have a microphone pushed into his face.

Khune Gai Sro Wit said on the ride home that Bon left his chin open when he through his right hand and should have had his left up at his face protecting his chin. Muay Thai is an extremely tough sport, I watched Bon train and this guy went all out, he was tough! but he made one mistake and he was out cold.

Everyone was down after the knock out, one of the trainers from the gym even said "Sorry" to me, like they let me down or something. I was not let down! being part of this has been extremely gratifying. So many farang come to Thailand and just live on the periphery, I feel like tonight I was right in the mix of what life is like for the people of the Klong Toey slum Muay Thai Gym (96 Pee Nang Boxing Camp)