YOUR Interview with Jongsanan (April 2003)

This was YOUR interview with Jongsanan Fairtex, these questions were emailed in by the readers of Muaythai Online.

Jongsanan is a true legend of muaythai and is now teaching and fighting out of Fairtex USA. Large for a Thai he is a living legend at welterweight known as the "Wooden Man" - as many opponents have said kicking him is like kicking a tree!

What/if any specific training helped to condition your body to and acquire the nickname "The Wooden Man"?

Ed Erickson
Michigan, USA

Jongsanan: My nickname the wooden man comes from when I was 16 years old. I trained so hard, 7 hours a day. I only would sleep eat and train.

Hi,Here are a couple of questions for Jongsanan;

1.How do you think the Muay Thai scene is progressing in the US?

Jongsanan: dvp
I think the mt scene is pretty good but slow. It has stayed slow because it's not a good business and there is poor marketing.

2.Who was your toughest opponent,Thai and westerner?
Jongsanan: My toughest opponent as a thai was buntilaye so thanigul (sorry about spelling) and as a westerner it was a guy named hasan from morrocco.

3.Who would you rate as the best prospect in the US?
Jongsanan: Hmm not sure ont hat one will get back to you.

4.What do you think of westerners like JWP,Masato,Peter Crooke,Joeri Mes?
Jongsanan:I think jwp has pretty good mt specifically good hands. I have never seen peter crooke or joeri mes

5.What does the future hold for you as a trainer/fighter?
Jongsanan:For my future I want to fight for a few more years and the train fighters so I can share mt and thai culture w/ other people.

Thank you for your time.


Best wishes, dvp

From: Graeme Ness
Camp: Fighting Fit Gym in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

Jongsanan,

Out of all your fights what has been your:

a) Most memorable/favourite?

b) Most difficult? (If not the same as above.)

Also what do you think of the Muaythai scene in the UK - if you know much at all of it?

Thanks, Graeme
Jongsanan: Graeme, Thanks for your questions, they are very good.
My most memorable favorite fights are hard to say only one. I have chose 2. sangtnoi in 1994 and terjiat also in 1994.
My most difficult was my first title fight against terjiat
As for the mt scene in the uk I am sorry I don't know that much but I hear very good things about the fighters and promotions.

1. What is your real name (birth name)?

2. What advice would you give someone before he has his first professional fight?

3. Now that Muay Thai is becoming more popular worldwide, do you think that there's a threat that one day it will be watered down to strictly a sport, instead of self-defense?

4. After Thailand, which country you think is the best, Holland or France?

5. Who do you think is the best Thai fighter of all time, and would you chose as the best fighter now (no weight category included)?

Jongsanan: My real name is Anucha Chaiyasen.
For your first professional fight my advice is: to keep doing the same thing and fight the same but remember now it is more important to win.

No, mt is good for all people, very practical it has good rules for everybody to learn not just fighters.

After thailand I think the best from europe would be france and in asia it would be japan.

I think the best thai fighter of all time would be samart pat yak arun 1985
And right now sanchai so kumsing at 130 lbs/59kg

Hi Jongsanan, I have couples of questions...I am 43 years old, I start training Muay Thai where I work, on my own and a couple of training with a Muay Thai trainer...I want to be in shape. I boxed three years when I was young. What is your training about cardio, to harden your leg so the kick I give and received won't hurt too much.I want to know about all the training you do to be prepared for a fight?

How many fights do you have/wins,lost.. and everytime that you fight, do you feel scare or fear?

What do you think about Bas Rutten and Duane "Bang"Ludwig?

Thanks in advance...
Alain (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

Jongsanan:Alain,
Wow, 43 congratulations on beginning your training. About training for cardio/conditioning I run a lot every day and lots of knee sparring it is good to get your gas up. I kick pads w/ my trainer, sparring about 3-4 times a week, bag work, lift weights a little rest a lot and sleep a lot. About conditioning shins you just have to kick a lot you get used to it, just practice. I don't do anything special.

My fight record is 80w-26l-1d-20ko

My thoughts on bas rutten, unfortunately I have never seen him fight. Duane ludwig is very good and strong. He is going to be good for the future of mt.

Num,
I thought your fight with Daniel Dawson was brillant.
Who would you like to fight the most in North America? Do you want to eventually fight in K-1 Max?

Best Wishes,
Duke Roufus
www.DukeRoufusGym.com

Duke,
Thank you very much for your support.
Thank you for asking my opinion. I just want to fight. It's not really thai style to challenge people but I would like to fight anyone in my weight class.

Who was your hardest farlung opponent??
Robbie Filliponi, Australia, Sunshine coast thai boxing centre (QLD)


Robbie,
I haven't met a very hard farung opponent yet but I respect every opponent I have ever had.

Hi my name is Jarrett i live in Perth Western Australia and i use to train Muay thai with phon martdee in Northbridge.
Q:Throughout your career who would you rate as being your toughest opponent? I am also very good Friends with Daniel Dawson who you have encounted with twice would you rate him as one of your toughest?

thanks
Jarrett
Hi jarret,
I have answered about my toughest opponents already so I will go onto your question about daniel dawson.>br? No, he is good but he will be better after more experience.

Hi Jongsanan,
Do you want to come to France ?
Muaythai Fan.

Jongsanan: Yes I would very much like to go to France.

Jongsanan-What do you think is the biggest thing holding back MuayThai in America?

How do you like teaching and would you prefer to just fight?

How are you liking the boxing and is this a serious interest or is it something to keep busy with?

Mark Brackenbury, Golden Lion Thaiboxing Canada
Jongsanan: Mark,
Hi thank you for your questions I hope you are doing ok. I think the biggest thing holding back mt in america is the "culture" it's not at all like a family.

Teaching is fun. I like both teaching and fighting very much.

My boxing is not that good I just want to try it out.

Hello Jongsanan,
I had the chance to train at Fairtex Thailand in 1995, just before you fought Orono. I wanted to know if you ever had a chance to rematch him.

Also, who do you consider your most difficult opponents?

Finally, Did you ever fight Den Muangsurin, Rainbow saw Prantale, or Kongnapa ? What were the results?

Thank you very much!

Bryan Popejoy

Jongsanan: Bryan,

Hi. I fought orono twice the first time I won and the second time I won the first 4 rounds but lost by a big elbow in the 5th round.

I never fought Den Muangsurin. Against Rainbow I won and now we are very good friends. I boxed against Kongnapa as an amateur and I won.

Dear Mr. Jongsanan,

I know Fairtex in Thailand, they have a wonderful techniques, also listen many things about Fairtex -USA; Some time ago Mr. Wong contact me to promote a fight with my Champion ( ISKA South America Champion) Vs. Alex Gong, or George TsuiTsui, but our sponsor wait a little more; The question: Our team is a real Muay Thai stylist, and have some problems to fight under KickBoxing rules, how you, a Lumpinee Champion , was trained to fight under ISKA rules? Best wishes, yours in Muay Thai.
Huaji Lek Muay Thai Camp
Kruh Edson ( Nomporm )
Sao Paulo- Brasil

Jongsanan: Don't worry  about the rules they are the same it's just called modified muay thai (no elbows).  The real difference is the referees.

Why are young thai fighters like Ying Yai are allowed to fight for the world title? He for example, won it emphatically against Lee Chesters, but then lost it very soon in London because he seemed to get too complacent and arrogant. Do you think that fighters at the age of 17-19 are too young and not mature enough to fight for such honours? Jongsanan: I don't think it matters if a fighter is aged 17 or whatever.  If you're good then you're good.

Hello Jongsanan,
I met you on the srikeforce show back in 1999.I was in the corner of Mark Brackenbury(goldlion Canada) when he fought you in San Jose California.My question : did you Fight Boulli of Sor Thankiul (spelling of Boulli I think is wrong).He was lumpini champ.If so what was the out come win/lose?

thanks Glen Kalesniko (trainer/owner Pridegym Trail B.C Canada)
www.pridegym.ca

I am sorry because of the spelling I am not sure who you are talking about.  If you can find the real name or a better spelling I am happy to answer you.

- What is your birth name? Why did you and a few of the other (Thai) fighters from Fairtex adopt the Fairtex name as their own?

- What is your most memoriable fight? Can you please decribe the fight?

- Who is the toughest opponent you've ever faced? Can you please decribe this fight?

- Who do you consider to be the top Muay Thai fighter coming out of America (including yourself, of course)?

- Outside of Thailand, which countries do you think produce the best and toughest fighters?

- Who would you like to fight from here and other countries?

- John Wayne Parr is one of the more popular farlung fighters since Ramon Dekker. What are your thoughts of him and would you fight him?

- You've been training with Ganyao for a number of years now. We've all hears stories about his training methods and the end result in his fighters is obviously great! What do you think of him and how does he compare to the other trainers you've worked with?

Thank you!

Neemz Valasquez

USA
I adopted Fairtex as my last name because this is the rule/tradition in thailand.

Outside of thailand I think Europe has very good fighters.

I would like to fight anyone who would like to fight me.

About jwp. He must be good. Sure I would fight him.

I have a long history with Ganyao, in Thailand he was my knee sparring partner. Our relationship is very good. I respect him and we are brothers.

i heard you were banned from competeing in thailand for a while due to throwing a fight for extra money , is this true? if so what was the amount you were paid off? Fom Lucas Thanks for asking, it gives me an opportunity to speak out. I personally did not do this but it does happen because of the betting. This is a big problem in thailand. It's easy to be accused of throwing a fight just because you didn't fight well.