"I hope to help women in the future that get stuck in these relationships - it can happen to anyone of us no matter how strong you think you are." -Nicola Kaye I spoke to my friend, Nicola Kaye, 53.5kg ISKA female British and European title holder about the Muay life and her unexpected experience of domestic abuse. Before I met Nicola, I saw her in action. It was a Friday night “big fight” at Bangla Stadium in Patong, Phuket and Nicola was fighting one of my close friends. They both clambered into the ring, rolling under the ropes and into action. Round 1 started and I was immediately captivated by Nicola’s confidence and her fast and heavy punches. Being partial to … [Read more...]
About Jessica Boyd
The Power of Positivity with Nak Muay Daniel Ketley
You might have heard Daniel Ketley’s story. On June 8, 2012, something happened and Daniel was pretty much left for dead. “A fractured skull which required 45 stitches, hemorrhaging and compression on the brain, air bubbles in the brain, a shattered eye socket, jaw broken in three places, four lost teeth, a fractured vertebra, nerve damage to his neck and shoulder, and a fracture in the skull between his nose and upper lip.” [1] Daniel didn’t die though. He survived and continues to thrive. Daniel isn’t defined by what happened to him, but it is a part of his story. Therefore, this interview isn’t specifically about Muay Thai or being in … [Read more...]
Black And White
It would be so much easier if the black was black, and the white was white; but when the wife beater is your friend, and the frequenter of prostitutes is someone you respect, lines become blurred. The light becomes darker, and the darkness, pockmarked by lightness. I found myself in the midst of this bleak black and white confusion when a recent acquaintance was telling me about his previous night out with his Muay Thai trainer: “I had promised him a pussy after fight so yesterday paid for it”. After five minutes of pure confusion during which I tried to understand firstly why he was telling me this, and secondly how I should … [Read more...]
Cock Fighting: Beyond the Blood
Let’s start with the facts. Cock fighting is a sporting tradition shared by many Asian countries. In Thailand, cock fighting has its roots deep in history. Many Thais often refer all the way back to the sixteenth century, to King Naresuan, a much loved monarch famous for defeating the king of Burma. Historically, the two are supposed to have had a royal cock fight in their youth, the result of which made it clear to a young Naresuan that the Thais had to fight for their independence from Burma. The Thais view this cock fight as a key historical moment, so much so that in the recent production of The Legend of King Naresuan Part I: Hongsawadee's Hostage, the film poster … [Read more...]