Muay Thai has drawn many foreigners to Thai culture and it will help further tighten the relationship between Germany and Thailand when the "Thailand vs Challenger (TVC) Series" takes place next month to mark the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
To be held at the Congress Centrum Heidenheim in Germany on Sept 15, the TVC features four matches between qualified Thai boxers and challengers from Germany. The competition will be broadcast live on ESPN Star Sport and True Sport channels.
Muay Thai has again become exciting for the public after Thailand recently won a silver medal at the Olympics, said German ambassador Rolf Schulze at a recent press conference. The sport is a cultural and sporting export for the country.
"Muay Thai doesn't belong only to Thailand anymore," said Stephan Fox, general secretary of International Federation of Muaythai Amateur.
Fox, who has practised the sport for over 30 years, said while it started with only small groups of keen athletes, it had become a popular feature of gyms around Germany.
Fox, a former Muay Thai champion, said that unlike most Thai boxers who entered the profession to earn a living, German athletes were making the sport a way of life. Aside from better health, Fox said the sport had taught him honour, respect and friendship.
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