Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) is what the Thai people call their own martial art. The art of Muay Thai has been the country's most popular spectator sport for hundreds of years.. It is unique among other kinds of fighting disciplines in its approach to close quarters fighting. Fighters are able to more effectively use their elbows, knees, feet and fists than in other martial arts.


Muay Thai (IPA: /muɑɪ.tʰɑɪ/, pronounced
[muāitʰāi]; Thai: มวยไทย) literally Thai Boxing and also known as The Art of the Eight Limbs. The different styles of kickboxing in Southeast Asia are analogous to the different types of Kung Fu in China or Silat in the Malay world. The Thai military uses a modified form of Muay Thai called Lerdrit.[1] The art is also known by other names in Southeast Asia such as: Pradal Serey in Cambodia, Lethwei in Myanmar, Tomoi in Malaysia, and Muay Lao in Laos.


Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand and is the country's national sport. Traditional Muay Thai practiced today varies significantly from the ancient art Muay Boran and uses kicks and punches in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing. Muay Thai is referred to as "The Science of Eight Limbs", as the hands, shins, elbows, and knees are all used extensively in this art. A master practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight "points of contact," as opposed to "two points" (fists) in Western boxing and "four points" (fists, feet) used in the primarily sport-oriented forms of martial arts.



INSPECTION

Weight divisions
Category Weight (up to)
Super Heavyweight 209 lb+ (95 kg+)
Heavyweight 190 lb+ (86 kg+)
Cruiserweight 190 lb (86 kg)
Light Heavyweight 175 lb (79 kg)
Super Middleweight 168 lb (76 kg)
Middleweight 160 lb (73 kg)
Junior Middleweight 154 lb (70 kg)
Welterweight 147 lb (67 kg)
Junior Welterweight 140 lb (64 kg)
Lightweight 135 lb (61 kg)
Junior Lightweight 130 lb (59 kg)
Featherweight 126 lb (57 kg)
Junior Featherweight 122 lb (55 kg)
Bantamweight 118 lb (54 kg)
Junior Bantamweight 115 lb (52 kg)
Flyweight 112 lb (51 kg)
Junior Flyweight 108 lb (49 kg)
Mini Flyweight 105 lb (48 kg)

According to rule 8, section 2, the minimum weight to compete is 100 pounds (45 kg).


Boxing gloves
Category Weight (up to)
Junior Middleweight and upwards 10 ounce (284 grams)
Featherweight - Welterweight 8 ounce (227 grams)
Mini Flyweight - Junior Featherweight 6 ounce (132 grams)