“Siamese Boxing” chapter in 1958 book, 50 Years At Ringside, by legendary boxing writer, Nat Fleischer.

[jeffkantoku]

Noted boxing writer Nat Fleischer wrote a book chronicling the history of boxing and his time covering it, from the first half of the 20th Century to 1958, the year it was published.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Fleischer

50 Years At Ringside (1958).

In the book’s 23rd Chapter, A Dream Come True, he covers his time in Thailand, the lead up, and the monsoon-soaked Carruthers-Songkitrat match in detail, which I’ve attached below.

Carruthers-Songkitrat match[edit]

Songkitrat (left) and Carruthers (right) fight barefoot in a monsoon

In 1954, Fleischer was involved with the "Bare-footed Title Fight", a world championship bout fought in Thailand's open air Chulalongkorn Stadium during a tropical monsoon.

Thai General Pichai invited Fleischer as a special guest to his homeland, as a way to ensure that the World Bantamweight Championship bout, between champion Jimmy Carruthers of Australia and challenger Chamroen Songkitrat, would follow the international boxing rules. It rained on the day of the fight, and 60,000 people (including the boxers) were drenched. Fleischer suggested the fight be postponed and that they wait to see if the weather would get better the next day, but General Pichai ordered the bout to take place, reasoning that it would be hard to send off 60,000 people and the other thousands who were stranded outside under the pouring rain, to have them return the next day. In an effort to better their traction in the flooded ring, this became the first recorded match in modern world boxing history where the fighters removed their footwear.^[4] Carruthers retained his crown by decision, and retired shortly after.

50 years at ringside - Siamese Boxing chapter - Nat Fleischer.1958.pdf