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© patti schulze         Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand

Muay Thai is fought in five three-minute rounds with two-minute breaks in between. The fight is preceded by a wai khru dance, in which, the fighters perform rituals to pay respect to their teachers, parents and things they hold sacred and pray for their safety and victory. Each boxer wears a headband and armbands. The headband, called mongkhol, is believed to bestow luck to the wearer since it has been blessed by a monk or the boxer’s own teacher

A match is decided by a knockout or by points. Three judges decide who carries the round and the one who wins the most rounds, wins the fight.

To one side of the ring is the band section, comprising a Javanese clarinet, drums and cymbals. They accompany the fight from the homage dance to the conclusion. The tempo goes up as the action inside the ring intensifies.