Found Fights! Rob Kaman & Dutch Kickboxing vs Muay Thai in 1982 (Patreon)

One of the more obscure histories in Muay Thai as it relates to the fighting styles around the world are early Muay Thai vs Kickboxing matches. This is just a gem of a find, sent to us by a great patron supporter. It's a 4 fight Dutch Kickboxing card from January of 1982. It gives us a real sense of this pioneering time, and it's a card that featured Rob Kaman's first televised fight in Thailand.  - Kevin writing...

Thank you to all our patrons who send otherwise lost or seldom seen fight footage, helping restore the history of Thailand's Muay Thai, and especially to Sascha who sent this video. 

The Rob Kaman Fight

This fight vs Lakchart Sor Prasartporn  had not yet entered in Rob Kaman's wikipedia record until recently, but it was mentioned in passing in a description. Lakchart was there described as a champion of some kind, but it's unclear if he was one. Perhaps a stadium champion? We've asked some people and are looking for more information. Long after this fight Rob Kaman then would go onto knock out Lakchart two times (Amsterdam, 1985 & Japan, 1987) at what presumably were higher weights. 18 months or so after this fight Rob Kaman would become WKA Full Contact Middle Weight World Champion vs John Moncayo. 

Note: Interestingly enough Dieselnoi also would match John Moncayo in 1984 (you can see that fight here). When we asked Dieselnoi about whether there was discussion of a potential Rob Kaman vs Dieselnoi fight, as they shared an opponent, he said that by his memory his people demanded a 145 lb weigh-in limit (Dieselnoi fought at most up at 138 in his final fights), something Kaman's people did not accept. As this fight is said to be at 155 lb you can see why, 145 probably was not reachable.  You can read up on the final years of Dieselnoi's fight career here.

watch the 1st found Rob Kaman vs Lakchart fight here.

The Translation Project - When we find unusual video, or a historic fight, through the support of our patrons we have started a translation project, hiring a translator in order to add English subtitles. Sometimes these translations are real gold mines of information. In this case the announcer is mostly doing a radio-style call of the fight. But it does give a stronger sense of being there to see the English as he calls the fight. So turn on English subtitles (the CC) icon on YouTube to see the English provided. 

The Full Fight Card - 4 Pioneering Fights of Dutch Kickboxing in Thailand

We take the fight card line up from SiamFightMag's summation, which you can find here. Because there is not of lot of documentation on this, if you have more information on the card please do add it in comments. 

Fight 1:

Peter van Os vs Rengrit Kittikasem

Fight 2: 

Rob Kaman vs Lakchart Sor Prasartporn

Fight 3:

Marchel Swank vs David Osothsapha

Fight 4:

Milo El Geubli vs Pribul Osothsapha

Watch the full fight card here