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Coban Lookchaomaesaithong
"In Thailand, I was known as "Fist of the Folk Dancer"; here in America, people call me the "Crusher". Thai people called me Fist of the Folk Dancer because, while most fighters prefer knee or roundhouse kick as their weapon of choice, I relied on my punching power. Also, my trademark was dancing to the tune of a folk song when entering the ring. Banlu Anwiset is my real name. "Ban" is my nickname. Someone added my nick name to the word "co", which means cattle; thus, I became Coban, or as you would call it "cowboy" in America. I am one of nine siblings from a poor farming family in the province of Burirum, a barren town in the northeastern region of Thailand. My first "prize fight" was when I was about 10 years old. I don't remember my first opponent's name. We fought to a draw. My purse was candies. I fought 2 more times within that same week. The results were all draws. But at that point, I had won 15 bahts Thai currency or the equivalent of about 30 cents in US currency. I still remember those fights. The gloves were very big and the inside was wet from the sweat of the fighters who used them before I did. The boxing trunks that I had to borrow from older fighters were also wet, heavy, and loose. They kept falling down. So I often had to hold the trunks up with one hand and box with the other hand. From then I was hooked and wanted to train more. I had a mischief heavy bag made out of an empty fertilizer sack hanging at home to train with. A local municipal health care officer liked my aggressive style, so he bought a real heavy bag and hung it at his office. I was to train there for free and was given free medicated laxative to get rid of any worms that I might have in my stomach. In return I had to fetch water to fill up several earth large jars. This health care officer took me to fight in the local and faraway places, but never in Bangkok. I was able to support myself through high school with the money I earned from fighting. I became well-known and was transferred to a new camp when the health care officer was transferred to another town. The new camp named me Banluesak. My first fight under this name was disappointing. The owner of the new camp then changed my name back to Coban. After that, my fight records were impressive. I was to use the camp name of Lookchaomaesaithong from then on. At that time there was another fighter named Gliroong Lookchaomaesaithong, a small fighter who fought with the same style I did, which was the aggressive brawler style. Finally, I was ready to fight at the Rachadumnuan Stadium, a place to be for any good fighter. My first fight there was a win by knockout. I am a heavy puncher by nature. When most fighters would be good with their knees and kicks, I was good with my left hand. I remember one fight when I was able to grab my opponent and delivered a knee strike in to his butt. Even though the audience teasingly called it kneeing as if a dog was biting at someone’s behind, I was so glad that I also could attack with my knee. Many fighters from the provinces fought well and moved up through the ranking. They had all the weapons that were appealing to the audience - the legs and the knees - but my most dominant weapon was my left fist. During that time, I lived and trained in Burirum, my hometown. The routine was very tedious when coming to fight in Bangkok. I would travel third class, either by train or by bus. The trip was very hot and very slow. I would arrive in Bangkok before dawn, go to wait for the stadium door to open to get weighted in, eat something which I had prepared and brought with me, find a nice spot on the floor outside the stadium to lie down and wait until fight time which was either in the afternoon or evening. After the fight, I would either travel back home that same day or waited until dawn and catch either a train or a bus back home. I also fought at a stadium - if you can could it a stadium - in Konkhen province too. These fights were televised locally. I had more and more fights in and around Bangkok. I moved to fight at the Lumpinee Stadium and won my first championship belt at the Lightweight division (135 pounds) by second round knockout to Bandorn Singbangrachan, a good all-around fighter and heavy puncher himself. I fought with many great fighters but the best remembered were the ones I had with Ramon Deckker. We both knocked each other out; we also won over the other by decision. The most memorable fight I had with Ramon Deckker was the third fight. Ramon Deckker proved to me, and the world, that he was a true fighter of champion caliber. It was the test of skill, stamina, and willpower. Although I only won by decision, this fight told me that I had much more than my left fist. I fought all over the world: England, France, Holland, New Zealand, Australia, Ukraine, Belgium, and the United States. My first trip to the United States was more than a decade ago. I came to fight with Hector Pina, an up-and-coming kick boxer. I won by knockout in the second round. I went back to Thailand and fought there for a while until the same promoter asked me to come to fight again. I did, and I didn't return back to Thailand for another 12 years. In addition to a prosperous fighting career, I am also happily married. It is true that behind a great man stands a supportive and understanding woman. I am blessed to have such a woman "in my corner". Currently, I conduct seminars around the country, accept students and teach by appointment at my ranch house outside of New York." Coban Lookchaomaesaithong can be reached at: Banlu Anwiset
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Coban Lookchaomaesaithong is the ring name that Muay Thai fight fans around the world have known. His style was simple. He walked straight-forward, trying to land as many punches and kicks as possible. Often times, it meant receiving more than he delivered. But he did not need to land many punches to gain victory. He only needed one punch to end the fight.