Muay Thai legends Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai PKSaenchaimuaythaigym (mandatory clarification: naming yourself after the gym you train in is common for Thai fighters, in case you are shaking your head right now) are arguably the two greatest Muay Thai fighters of all time.
Having the chance to watch the both of them sparring together is a real treat for any martial arts enthusiast.
It’s the martial arts equivalent of Michael Jordan (hypothetically) playing against LeBron James (or Steph Curry, or Kobe Bryant… I suck at basketball, don’t judge), or Muhammad Ali battling Mike Tyson. Fans have raved for years about how formidable it would be if Buakaw and Saenchai ever got in the ring together but unfortunately the likelihood of such event is decreasing by the day.
The upside is that the two legends DID get in the ring together. In fact, Buakaw and Saenchai engaged in a much-anticipated sparring session during the 2011 Muay Thai Combat Fan Expo in Italy.
Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy, because this is a truly historic footage for any martial arts fan:
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About Buakaw:
Buakaw Banchamek is a Thai welterweight Muay Thai kickboxer, who formerly fought out of Por. Pramuk Gym, in Bangkok, Thailand under the ring name Buakaw Por. Pramuk He is an undefeated world champion as well as the former two time Omnoi Stadium champion, Lumpini Stadium Toyota Marathon Champion, Thailand Featherweight champion and two time, 2004, 2006 K-1 World MAX champion.
About Saenchai:
Saenchai, formerly known as Saenchai Sor. Kingstar, is a Thai Muay Thai fighter. He won the Lumpinee Championship title in four different weight divisions, along with the WMC and WBC World titles, while mostly fighting above his natural weight; therefore he is considered one of the best pound-for-pound Muay Thai fighters in the world. Saenchai often gives up 5 lbs. + in weight to find worthy opponents in Thailand. Against foreigners the gap in skill is so great he will go up as high as 147 pounds, which is 15+ pounds above his weight class. He is known for having excellent ring vision and speed. [Source: Wikipedia.com]
