Fighting in Isaan getting hard

[kiddo98]

I had my first fight during Songkran 2016. I fought a girl with 15 fights, and I won by KO. Fought my 2nd fight outside Isaan, against a girl with estimated 25 fights, lost by decision. Just a few days ago I won my 3rd fight in Isaan by KO, against a girl with maybe 8 fights and also taller and bigger than me. But i was extremely sick in the week leading up to the fight, being hospitalised for a few days. My trainer's parents accidentally let those words out after my fight to the surrounding gamblers. Today I went to those fight match ups. Nobody around my perceived level wants to fight me. My trainer says that nobody with less than 40 fights are willing to fight me. I'm worried. I ain't good enough to fight girls with so much experience.

 

It is one thing if I already had 20plus fights, and someone with 60 fights wants to fight me. But i have had 3 fights, and now the best in Sisaket wants to fight me. She have an estimated 80 fights already. Nobody listens to me when i say i am not ready. They insist that i fight like someone with 20 fights already. I don't. I am contemplating throwing my next fight, so everybody will stop overestimating me. But that had be disrespecting my trainer and myself. Hopefully someone can help me out, i may sound like i am talking big, but i swear i ain't. I can tell you guys more in details what happened if needed, even show you guys my fight videos.

[Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu]

I had my first fight during Songkran 2016. I fought a girl with 15 fights, and I won by KO. Fought my 2nd fight outside Isaan, against a girl with estimated 25 fights, lost by decision. Just a few days ago I won my 3rd fight in Isaan by KO, against a girl with maybe 8 fights and also taller and bigger than me. But i was extremely sick in the week leading up to the fight, being hospitalised for a few days. My trainer's parents accidentally let those words out after my fight to the surrounding gamblers. Today I went to those fight match ups. Nobody around my perceived level wants to fight me. My trainer says that nobody with less than 40 fights are willing to fight me. I'm worried. I ain't good enough to fight girls with so much experience.

 

It is one thing if I already had 20plus fights, and someone with 60 fights wants to fight me. But i have had 3 fights, and now the best in Sisaket wants to fight me. She have an estimated 80 fights already. Nobody listens to me when i say i am not ready. They insist that i fight like someone with 20 fights already. I don't. I am contemplating throwing my next fight, so everybody will stop overestimating me. But that had be disrespecting my trainer and myself. Hopefully someone can help me out, i may sound like i am talking big, but i swear i ain't. I can tell you guys more in details what happened if needed, even show you guys my fight videos.

 

What gym/town are you fighting out? Are you aware of the role gambling is playing in your fight match-ups? Isaan match-ups are almost always driven by the side bet. If this is the case it would be a pretty bad idea to throw your fight.

Also, are you fighting opponent's your size?

[Finn Cartlidge]

Do not throw your fight, if people find out that could put you in a potentially dangerous situation. Isaan is not really a place I would play around like that, especially when locals are putting money on you.

If you don't enjoy fighting in Isaan, every province has at least one gym, just make the move.

Goodluck.

[kiddo98]

What gym/town are you fighting out? Are you aware of the role gambling is playing in your fight match-ups? Isaan match-ups are almost always driven by the side bet. If this is the case it would be a pretty bad idea to throw your fight.

Also, are you fighting opponent's your size?

I'm currently training with my trainer/bf outside his house. It's a simple basic set up, somewhere near det udom in ubon. But both time i fought in isaan was in sisaket.

 

I do understand the importance of sidebet in Isaan especially, my 2nd fight had a sidebet of 12500 baht if i didnt remember wrongly. But that was in Chantaburi. I think my first fight was 3000-5000baht and my last was lowest, 1000baht, since i no longer had a gym backing me. We couldn't afford a big sidebet and the fight was brought down to 3 rounds.

 

All I want is to fight a couple more times at "beginner" level to get comfortable in the ring. I dont wanna fight some strong experieced girl with a huge sidebet knowing the odds are against me so soon. Moments ago i was pestering my trainer about a fight next week, he said it have been called off. I am simply messed up. He says the only way now is to fight anybody willing to fight me, and if i win, great. If i lose, great too, people will not overestimate me so much. Go ahead and risk my head being knocked off, or no? Going to train in other province is not really an option for me, i am too broke to move. And i love it here, just hate the situation im in right now.

[kiddo98]

In regards to size, i fought people of differnet sizes every time. 1st fight, girl who was significantly shorter than me but more muscular. 2nd fight, the girl had almost the same physique as me. She probably had a kg or 2 on me. 3rd fight, the girl was at least 10cm taller than me, but definitely skinnier. I am 158cm, and fairly well built. Big shoulders, and muscular legs

[Kevin von Duuglas-Ittu]

All I want is to fight a couple more times at "beginner" level to get comfortable in the ring. I dont wanna fight some strong experieced girl with a huge sidebet knowing the odds are against me so soon. Moments ago i was pestering my trainer about a fight next week, he said it have been called off. I am simply messed up. He says the only way now is to fight anybody willing to fight me, and if i win, great. If i lose, great too, people will not overestimate me so much. Go ahead and risk my head being knocked off, or no? Going to train in other province is not really an option for me, i am too broke to move. And i love it here, just hate the situation im in right now.

 

We've had limited experience fighting in Isaan, maybe Sylvie's had 15 fights? The experience though is that things can be very chaotic/unpredictable, and you really are in the hands whoever is representing you in the community. If whoever that is doesn't want to take you to a match up for a smaller side bet, for whatever reason, you really have no options. You basically have to fight the fights lined up, or you don't fight. Sylvie's had at times some undependable people representing her, and had been given very dubious opponents, or had big name opponents not show up at all. And she's had some great people representing her and had fantastic, challenging opponents. But this is a world without much control from the fighter's end, one that lines up with local interests. At least that is my experience of it.

Just as a thought though, if you do find yourself fighting a girl with 80 fights the way to play it would be to fight defensively, teep, retreat, etc. Generally...and this is very general...if you don't press the action the action will be subdued. And then if you feel comfortable late, go for the win. If you don't, just play it off. And if she comes hard, grab for the clinch.

But from what I'm hearing from you, if I'm hearing correctly...its your boyfriend/trainer who is trying to put you up against more advanced girls, and he is the one who is putting down the sidebet. Is that right?

[Finn Cartlidge]

Their wouldn't be a huge sidebet on you unless people thought you were of that level, people don't want to lose money on you. Maybe you are underestimating yourself.

If you really don't feel comfortable you should sit down with your boyfriend and let him know how you feel, especially considering your happiness should be a priority of his.

If you're well known in just that province, then ask your boyfriend/trainer to take you to a nearby province for matchups.

 

Goodluck.

[kiddo98]

We've had limited experience fighting in Isaan, maybe Sylvie's had 15 fights? The experience though is that things can be very chaotic/unpredictable, and you really are in the hands whoever is representing you in the community. If whoever that is doesn't want to take you to a match up for a smaller side bet, for whatever reason, you really have no options. You basically have to fight the fights lined up, or you don't fight. Sylvie's had at times some undependable people representing her, and had been given very dubious opponents, or had big name opponents not show up at all. And she's had some great people representing her and had fantastic, challenging opponents. But this is a world without much control from the fighter's end, one that lines up with local interests. At least that is my experience of it.

Just as a thought though, if you do find yourself fighting a girl with 80 fights the way to play it would be to fight defensively, teep, retreat, etc. Generally...and this is very general...if you don't press the action the action will be subdued. And then if you feel comfortable late, go for the win. If you don't, just play it off. And if she comes hard, grab for the clinch.

But from what I'm hearing from you, if I'm hearing correctly...its your boyfriend/trainer who is trying to put you up against more advanced girls, and he is the one who is putting down the sidebet. Is that right?

He is trying to beg promoters to find girls around my level in fact. The sidebet is not placed by him, he simply take care of my training. His family does it, and gamblers who are familiar with his family do it. The sidebet seems quite open here, i saw random people going to his dad wanting a part of the sidebet. I guess I am way luckier than most fighters in a sense that I can turn down opponents freely, since i dont have much pressure. The only downside is there will be no fights for me.

 

As for your advice, i will take it to the ring with me should i have to fight a superior opponent soon :) thank you very much. I am fairly strong in clinch compared to many girls here since i get more than an hour of clinch everyday and i tend to try latch on to them at any chance. Not much of a distance fighter i guess! Thanks alot!

[kiddo98]

Their wouldn't be a huge sidebet on you unless people thought you were of that level, people don't want to lose money on you. Maybe you are underestimating yourself.

If you really don't feel comfortable you should sit down with your boyfriend and let him know how you feel, especially considering your happiness should be a priority of his.

If you're well known in just that province, then ask your boyfriend/trainer to take you to a nearby province for matchups.

 

Goodluck.

The sidebet doesn't seem huge based on what i have seen, but 12.5k a side seems a little big for me, considering that i am too unpredictable, only having fought 3 times. I have watched the videos of me fighting, and although it looks fairly ok, i remember myself feeling like shit inside.

He does know how I feel, and he personally feels that another few fights at my current level will do me good. I used to think that would be an option, but it seems that many girls from the surrounding province gather in one to fight. I'm hoping to head to Chiang Mai or South to fight in the future, where i can start anew.

 

Thanks alot for your words and time, they mean so much to me :)

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

Along with what Kevin and Iwanttogotothailand have already said, people don't like losing money so if a promoter is keen to put you in the ring with someone with more experience than you, it's because they think it's a competitive match up. It's highly unlikely you'll be facing someone with size and experience on you, as gamblers and match-makers tend to balance those things out for gambling purposes. Don't over-think it. You're not going to get your head knocked off. When I was in Chiang Mai before there was a promoter who just loved that I could beat fighters so much bigger than myself, so he just kept giving me bigger and bigger opponents. It was scary. It seemed ridiculous and I wasn't ready for it. I never got badly hurt. Now he's one of my favorite promoters because now I'm more confident in facing these huge opponents, whereas before I just wasn't ready. But again, I grew into it and I never got hurt. So I understand your fear, I understand that you feel like you want people at your same level... but sometimes people with your same experience isn't a fair fight; sometimes it's more fair to give you someone who makes for a challenge.

If you're just scared keep in mind that your fear is toward something that hasn't actually happened. It's imaginary. But if you feel like they're taking advantage of you, then trust your intuition and tell them no.