PUD PAD NOY WORAWOOT
Interview of PUD PAD NOY WORAWOOT by Serge TREFEU (2012)
Serge TREFEU: Hello, first of all thank you for grant me this interview, how are you, in shape?
PUD PAD NOY WORAWOOT: Yes that alright, always well, I thank you…
How old are you?
I am 61 years old
You come of what region of the Thailand?
I am of Khon Khean, a city in Isaan (Northeast of the Thailand)
Is what you are to marry, you have children?
I was married and I have a girl who lives in Paris, her at 31 years old, her mother is French…
You have brothers and sisters?
We were eight children, five boys and three girls, I had four brothers and three sisters
Your brothers also practiced boxing?
My small brother Pud Pad Nit was a great champion, he is to stay for a long time in France also, 10 years, he was a trainer over there, but he died now, my older brother Pud Pat was also a very good boxer, very, very known in Isaan, he also died, I do not have than two brothers anymore…
You were fighter’s family?
Yes we were five boys and four were boxers!
You began the boxing at which age?
In 14 years
Teenager you were rather a brawler or at all?
Not at all, I liked the boxing but not the brawl…
How you discovered the boxing?
Thanks to my older brother and to my father, they were passionate persons of boxing…
Your first fight you made him for which age?
In 14 years, I weighed 36 kg, and I have make a draw, I gained 15 bahts, it was in 1965…
You began Muay Thai in a camp?
No it was in family, we trained with my older brother in home
You fought a lot in Isaan?
I had to make about sixty fights in Isaan
To what age you went to Bangkok?
In 18 years, I went to the camp Voravudh to Bangkok. This camp does not exist any more today, it was not far from the Khao San Road’s famous tourist street. I stayed ten years in this camp. My first fight in Bangkok for this camp I did at 48 kg then after I fought in 51 kg…
You slept in the camp, you had your room?
This camp was quite small, the boxers slept in a dormitory outside of the camp, at the beginning I slept with them, later I had my own personal room in the camp, I was the only boxer to sleep there…
The daily jogging it was in the streets of Bangkok?
Yes we were going to run around the place Sanam Luang, in the time there was so much traffic as now, in the morning it was pleasant to run in this park…
In what category you fought?
In 51 kg, then in 54 kg, and I ended my career in 59 kg…
What are the titles which you gained?
I gained three belts of Lumpinee. The belt in 51 kg against Kiatpathum Pangpan nova, the belt in 54 kg against Suksawadee Sritivet and the belt in 58 kg against Chaiyuth Sittiboonlert!
And in the stadium of Radja you also gained belts?
No I did not gain a belt of Radja but I gained an important tournament. It was a tournament with 16 fighters, the best of moment, I have them all beaten. The Prime Minister himself gave me the winner’s cup in the stadium of Radja!
How much have you make of fights, how much have you of victory and defeat?
150 fights. 135 wins and 15 losses
You gained many fights by KO?
Yes a lot, but especially in province in Bangkok I gained less…
You had which style of boxing?
I was at the same time a fimeuu (technique) and a fighter who constantly moves forward…
What technique you loved most in fight?
Middles kick and especially High kick with the left leg, I liked placing her in fight!
Your left leg was terrible, it is for it that one nicknamed you the “Golden leg”?
Yes that’s right (Laughter)
What was your promoter in the time?
It was Kunkao Sapkaw, a promoter in Lumpinee
What was your hardest fight in your career?
All the fights are hard, even if you win it is not easy. But maybe against Soksin Sor Phayathai in Lumpinee. It was a great champion and when I faced him he was five kilos more than me, that makes a lot of difference….
Your best memory of boxing until today?
It is all my career, the gratitude of public Thai, everybody knows me, I have a good reputation in the world of the muay thai, it is it who more pleases me…
What are the known fighters whom you have to face?
There has been much, Wicharnoy (2 victories, 1 defeats), Kunkotnoi (1 victory, 2 defeats), Soksin (2 victories, 1 defeat), Kwanmuang (2 Losses), Srimongkol (victory), Kiatpathum (victory), Suksawadee (victory), Chaiyuth (victory), Prayuth (victory), Apidet (victory), Huasai (victory) and many of the others…
You also met the great Japanese champion Toshio Fujiwara?
Yes I lost in points against him. But I had to stop boxing during two years, I had left to the United States, when I come back of USA in Thailand we proposed me Fujiwara, I have say yes, it was in Lumpinee, and I lost in points in front of him, I missed boxing ring…
You fought abroad?
I fought only only once abroad, it was on the Reunion island, I was 43 years old, I gained by KO in second rounds with High Kick!
Then after your career you became a trainer?
Yes in France
It is for it that you speak very well French?
Yes that can go (Laughter)
You came in which year in France?
I came in 1980 and I stayed there until 2003, I’ve been trainer 23 years in Paris!
You taught in which gym?
In the ” Muaythai France ” street Malebranche in Paris
You had many students in France, that they are the ones what you remember most?
Yes I had a lot, many pupils, I cannot quote you all the names, there was too much, among those whom I remember well there is Olivier Gauthier who is installed now in Thailand, he has his camp to Phuket (Sit O Inter), Guillaume Kerner, a great champion, Jean-Marie Merchet, Franck Marre, Daniel Woirin, Hour, and full the others…
Guillaume Kerner is certainly one of your most known pupils because he made a big career and he became an immense champion, what marking memory you keep of Guillaume?
Guillaume was very good, he made parties of my best pupils, it became a great champion, I have a lot of respect for his career. One of my best wishes with him it’s his fight against Krongsak in Paris, in the time Krongsak was really very, very hardly, Guillaume had lost his fight against him but he had made a beautiful fight, I was really proud of him!
For you who is the best fighter at present in Thailand?
There are many of the very good fighters in Thailand, it is difficult to say, I would say Seanchai for the Thailand and for the foreigner Buakaw…
Today that make you in Thailand?
I work for a sponsor of the stadium TV7, every on Sunday I am in the stadium TV7, I am also an referee and a judge in international events
What are your projects for 2012?
I want to open soon a camp in Bangkok with a great champion Diesel Noi!
You will train with Diesel Noi?
Yes and with Pichai Noi also, we shall be three trainers in the camp…
The foreigners can come to train in your camp?
Yes of course, they are welcome, there will be even rooms to welcome them, no problem, as soon as the camp will be opened we plan to speak about it on the Internet, soon…
Thank you very much for the interview and chookdee for your projects!
Thanks to you
Pud Pad Noy Worawoot is an alive legend in Thailand, this extraordinary fighter is classified among ten better Thai boxers of every time. His ferocity on the boxing ring, the power of his left leg, the formidable technical elbows allowed him to defeat the best fighters of his time. For five years, from 1970 till 1975, he is going to dominate the Thai circuit, so much that he found no more fight and had to fight against boxers heavier than him. In Bangkok, he is inclined that in front of great champions such as Soksin Sor Phayathai, Wicharnoi Pontawee, Wangwon Lookmatulee, Kwanmuang Jitprasert or Toshio Fujiwara. His exploits pugilistiques were rewarded by numerous prices. Supreme honor, he received the trophy of ” Best Fighters ” by King personally. And he had for his whole career, a prestigious award was presented by the highest authorities Thai, a unique trophy, ” The Golden leg “!
Ajahn Pud Pad Noy Worawoot, “The Golden Leg”, entered for ever into the pantheon of the legends of Muay Thai!
PUD PAD NOY WORAWOOT
Fighter’s name: PUD PAD NOY WORAWOOT
Real name: Pon Omglin nicknamed Pi Moo
Weight: 59 Kg
Number of fight: 150 fights. 135 wins. 15 losses
Title: Lumpinee Champion in 51 kg. Lumpinee Champion in 54 kg. Lumpinee Champion in 58 kg. Winner of the Tournament Radja.