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| Also known as | Pradal, Pradal Kun Khmer, Pradal Serey, Khmer boxing Cambodian boxing |
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| Focus | Striking,clinching,grappling holds |
| Hardness | Full-contact |
| Country of origin |  Cambodia |
| Famous practitioners | Keo Rumchong,Thun Sophea, Chea Sarak, Oumry Ban, Vorn Viva, Meas Chantha, Thoeun Theara |
| Parenthood | Bokator,[1]Khmer traditional wrestling |
| Olympic sport | No |
Kun Khmer (Khmer:គុនខ្មែរ[kunkʰmae]lit. 'Khmer Martial Art'), orPradal Serey (Khmer:ប្រដាល់សេរី[prɑɗalseːrəj]lit. 'Free Boxing'), is acombat sport that originated inCambodia.[2] The sport consists of stand up striking andclinch fighting, where the objective is to knock an opponent out, force atechnical knockout, or win a match by points. The sport was codified in Cambodia by theFrench colonial administration in the early 20th century, and was derived from centuries-old traditions, namelyBokator, the close-quarter combat system used during theKhmer empire.[3][4] The official Khmer name of the sport isKbach Kun Pradal Khmer (Khmer:ក្បាច់គុនប្រដាល់ខ្មែរ[kʰɓackunprɑɗalkʰmae]lit. 'Khmer Martial Art of Boxing').[5]
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Kun Khmer developed from the ancient Khmer martial arts, now commonly referred to asBokator. Dating back to the 1st century AD,[6] the martial arts in Cambodia are deeply rooted in the country's history, and are depicted in the variousbas-reliefs of theAngkor period.[7] Um Yurann, the deputy director of the Cambodian Boxing Federation, highlights the bas-reliefs found on the ancient walls of the Angkor temples, dating from the ninth to the twelfth century, as evidence that Cambodians have been engaged in the sport for hundreds of years.[8] Archaeologist Phoeung Dara has noted that several bas-relief sculptures depicting Cambodian martial arts are associated with Kun Khmer. These artistic representations are located in various temples, includingAngkor Wat,Bayon,Ta Prohm,Banteay Samre,Preah Khan, and Prei Temples.[9]
During the early 20th century, the local martial traditions were codified by theFrench administration, giving birth toPradal Serey, now more widely known asKun Khmer. Boxing matches were originally fought in dirt pits with limited rules, while hands were wrapped in rope.[3] From 1920 to 1930, it was common for boxing matches to result in deaths. Fighters inBattambang province, during the early 20th century, utilized glove-like knuckle dusters made from shells to inflict injuries on their opponents in kickboxing matches.
[10] According to Pel Yat, an elderly villager from Battambang, as documented in a 1974 publication regarding the social history of the province, “Boxers fought until death. During the bout, a stretcher to carry out the dead was brought in; it was kept there in case a boxer died. The winner received a prize from the committee.” Chhit Sarim, a kickboxer instructor fromSiem Reap, described tournaments around his village from the first half of the last century, "Coffins were placed near the ring ready for the possibility of a dead loser. The boxers did not use gloves to protect from injury, they just wrapped silk thread around their fists. On their arms they tied katei - magical plants wrapped in red pieces of cloth that would cause their opponent to see multiple images of their body in the ring. They were great boxers."[11] In order to avoid the fatal casualties, the French set up a series of rules that combinedWestern boxing with Khmer boxing.
France organized its own athletes to face off against Cambodian athletes. Recognizing the impressive capabilities of Khmer martial arts, particularly in the use of elbows, knees, fists, and other lethal techniques, including those that could result in neck injuries, the French administration introduced a modified version of boxing. This new sport mandated that all participants wear gloves, imposed time limits on matches, instituted rest periods, and prohibited certain techniques to mitigate risks to life. The intention behind this French initiative was to restrict the abilities of Khmer competitors while providing an opportunity for French athletes familiar with Khmer martial arts to secure victories in the contests. Subsequently, this definition evolved into the established rules of the game, leading to its recognition as a popular sport. Freestyle boxing(pradal serey) represents a fusion of the universal sport of boxing, rooted in European tradition, and the traditional martial arts of the Khmer culture. Through an agreement between French and Cambodian working groups, specific regulations were implemented, including prohibitions on additional time for falls, neck strikes, the use of protective gear, and other lethal techniques. This sport gained popularity during the French colonial period and the rules and format subsequently spread to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and various other nations under theFrench sphere of influence.[12] Kickboxing in Vietnam existed before 1979 but was then banned. The Vietnamese kickboxing art was historically similar to Khmer Boxing or Pradal Serey.[13]
The introduction ofboxing rings, rounds, andgloves, as well as the prohibition of life-threatening techniques, transformed the local martial arts into a sport. With those new sets of rules, French and Khmer boxers would compete against each other in tournaments.[14] In the 1960s, Cambodian boxing promoters held inter-martial artsexhibitions.[15]
During the chaos of theVietnam War, AmericanPresident Nixon chose to get involved in Cambodia, where a pro-Western regime led by Gen.Lon Nol had usurped Sihanouk’s neutral government in March 1970. Since then, the new government had been trying to drive the communists out of their sanctuary along the border. The North Vietnamese easily repelled the Cambodian army's offensives and began providing arms and support to the Cambodian communist faction, called theKhmer Rouge. Eager to back Lon Nol and eliminate the sanctuaries, Nixon approved a significant operation involving a U.S. and South Vietnamese force of 20,000 troops into the border regions. In the U.S., news of the Cambodian incursion sparked widespread protests and demonstrations.[16] During the Vietnam War,Henry Kissinger, serving as National Security Advisor, and then-President Richard Nixon authorized secret bombing operations in neutral Cambodia to targetViet Cong forces located in the eastern region of the country.Ben Kiernan, a historian at Yale University and a prominent authority on Cambodian history, estimates that approximately 500,000 tons of U.S. bombs were released over Cambodia from 1969 to 1973. Scholars have also suggested that the bombing campaign initiated by Nixon and Kissinger contributed significantly to the conditions that led to one of the most devastating genocides of the 20th century.[17]
On April 17, 1975, theMaoistCommunist rebels, theKhmer Rouge under the orders ofPol Pot, overthrew the government of theKhmer Republic then-led byLon Nol. The Khmer Rouge's plan was to eliminate modern society, and create anagrarian utopia.[18] The Khmer Rouge executed educated people, others who had ties to the old government, or anyone who was believed to be “advantaged” by the old society (doctors, teachers, soldiers, actors, musicians, athletes, etc.), and forced the remaining Khmer population intolabor camps—in which hundreds of thousands died in executions,starvation and diseases—to be re-educated under the new government. Traditionalmartial arts were banned at this time, and many boxers were executed, worked to death or fled the country, which nearly caused the demise of Kun Khmer. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians, or 21% of the population, died during the Khmer Rouge regime, according to the studies of the Cambodia Genocide Program ofYale University.[19] This despotic subjugation lasted for four years until 1979, whenVietnam,invaded and overthrew the Khmer Rouge. During the relative stability with the Vietnamese’s protection and after the departure of the Vietnamese, theNational Government of Cambodia, under theUnited Nations, reestablished theKingdom of Cambodia, and the surviving artisans would slowly began recovering and rebuilding Cambodia's traditional arts, including Kun Khmer.[20]
Kun Khmer made a strong comeback since its prohibition in the 1970s.[21] Chhith Sarim, a coach in the sport of Khmer kickboxing, expressed regret over Cambodia's loss of prominence in the kickboxing arena during periods of conflict. Despite this setback, he remains resolute in his efforts to restore the country's standing in the sport.[8] Cambodia has made an effort to popularise its style of boxing, despite the lack of financial funding. Numerous gyms have opened, and large masses of students, local and foreign, have come to train in Cambodia. There are weekly matches held, the majority televised live, and many of Cambodia's best have traveled internationally to compete. There are currently approximately 70 boxing clubs nationwide.[8] In 1987, one of the first Kun Khmer schools abroad opened in the United States. It was started by a former national champion by the name of Oumry Ban inCambodia Town,Long Beach, California.[22]
Kun Khmer is administered in Cambodia by the Cambodian Boxing Federation (CBF), formerly the Cambodian Amateur Boxing Federation (CABF), which was established in 1961. All referees, judges, and fighters must be licensed by the CABF. Television stations which hold Khmer boxing tournaments do so under the supervision of the CBF. The individual stations are responsible for organizing boxers, trainers, medical staff, and musicians. The CBF supplies the match referees, judges, and time-keepers. The current president of the CBF is Major-General Tem Moeun.[23][24][25]
Abroad, Cambodian boxing is promoted by four organizations. These organizations include: the European Khmer Boxing Federation, based inGermany; the Fédération des Arts Martiaux Khmers (FAMK), based in France; the Ánh Binh Minh Khmer Martial Arts Association, located in Vietnam; and Kun Khmer Australia, based inAustralia. Other newly created organizations can be found inSpain andItaly, whileBelgium is in the process of forming its own Khmer boxing organization.[26] TheInternational Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA), based in the United Kingdom, has held matches involving Cambodian boxers. Additionally, Khmer boxers have fought abroad in countries such as South Korea.[27]
There have been concerns about thebetting and rowdiness among Kun Khmer fans.[20] Commenting on how the behavior of boxing audiences has noticeably worsened over the years, Cambodian trainer Chiit Sarim has remarked, “I traveled from pagoda to pagoda to box at competitions during the water festival.Pagodas were the traditional venue for boxing matches... They [the current fans] act inappropriately. They raise up their hands and scream noisily. They gamble and do not respect the boxers. They think of only winning their bet. During my time, there was no such thing. Fights were organized nicely and were very popular. Now, fans have no morality.”
Tournaments are screened live on national television. TV5 Cambodia holds live tournaments on Friday and Sunday,CTN holds live tournaments on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.[28]Bayon Television holds live kickboxing tournaments on Saturday and Sunday,[29] whileTV3 holds a single tournament on Sunday, andApsara TV has added a single tournament on Thursday.
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Recently, travel journalists and tourists have exposed Kun Khmer to the western world. Features in television programs have further popularized the martial art amongst global viewers; Kun Khmer was featured onThe History Channel'sHuman Weapon, and was also mentioned on the Cambodian episode ofGlobetrekker.[30] In February 2009, American footballerDhani Jones filmed an episode of his seriesDhani Tackles the Globe inPhnom Penh, training with Long Salavorn at the Salavorn Keila club, and subsequently fighting Pan Phanith at the CTN arena.[31]
In the Cambodian S1 World Championship, Bun Sothea won the tournament. He defeated Michael Paszowski,Dzhabar Askerov, and Lor Samnang in front of 30,000 people at the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium.
In 2008, the Cambodian Television Network (CTN) screened a Kun Khmer reality television series calledKun Khmer Champion. The show featured 65 kilogramme (143.3 lbs.) boxers, and was produced by Ma Serey and Aaron Leverton, and co-hosted by Ma Serey and Cambodia's most famous kickboxer,Eh Phouthong. The first series was followed by a second in 2009 and a third in 2010, both co-hosted by Vorn Viva.
On August 28, 2008, Cambodian boxers Vorn Viva and Meas Chantha won theISKAMiddleweight andWelterweight world titles in Phnom Penh. It was the first time a Cambodian had held a kickboxing world title.[32]
In 2011, Prime Minister Hun Sen created a committee responsible for documenting and researching the sport of Khmer kickboxing in order to have it included onUNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.[33] The 19-member committee included Culture MinisterHim Chhem, the boxing federation, Council of Minister officials, and other officials from other government ministries.
In 2011, there were 1,000 registered boxers from 78 martial arts schools.
As of 2012, there are over 50 Kun Khmer fights held every week in the Phnom Penh region.[34]
A well-known promoter stated 2020 would be an important year for development of the sport. Promoter, Matias Andres, via the Riel Team was focused on putting the sport in an international context instead of just focusing on the local scene.[35]
Town Full HDTV brought MAS Fight, a global professional martial arts organization, to Cambodia. It was welcomed as a programme to help promote Kun Khmer internationally.[36]
In 2022, the International Professional Combat Council (IPCC) held their first sanctioned Kun Khmer event inKampong Speu province.[37]
In 2023, Kun Khmer was added to theSoutheast Asian Games Federation's charter and rules. Deputy Prime MinisterTea Banh stated that he was proud that the Southeast Asian Games officially recognized the Cambodian martial art of Kun Khmer.[38][39]
In 2023, the BKK (Bare Knuckle Kombat) Championship held their first Kun Khmer event.[40]
In 2024, a Kun Khmer event called “Ganzberg Kun Khmer to the World Class” was the first Kun Khmer event to take place in South Korea.[41]
In 2024, Kun Khmer had a historic first-ever event called International Cambodian Kun Khmer Championship on the Greek island ofCrete inHeraklion.[42]
In 2024, Chinese martial arts organization,Kunlun Fight, held a Kun Khmer and kickboxing event in Cambodia calledKunlun Fight & Cicada FC.
The 5th Kun Khmer World Championship were held in Siem Reap. The top 5 medal countries were Cambodia(first place),Kyrgyzstan(second place),Afghanistan(third place),Russia(fourth place) andFrance(fifth place).[43]
The 6th World Kun Khmer Championship is scheduled to be hosted inIndonesia in 2025.[44]
Khov Chhay, the President of the Kun Khmer Federation, has noted significant advancements in the sport of Kun Khmer in recent years. This growth has resulted in increased support for many fighters, including heightened engagement from fans, enhanced opportunities, and expanded sponsorships.
Currently, there are approximately 17 to 20 programs conducted each week. Between 2019 and 2021, the financial remuneration for boxers per tournament ranged between 200,000 and 300,000 riel. In contrast, present compensation has escalated to between $1,000 and $3,000, excluding additional earnings from sponsorships. Chhay remarked, “By including sponsorship rewards, some boxers can earn $7,000, $8,000, or even $10,000 for participating in a single tournament.”
Despite the sport’s notable growth, the Kun Khmer Federation has encountered challenges regarding human resources. To address this, the federation is actively encouraging youth participation, targeting both young men and women, to further enhance the prominence and success of Kun Khmer.[45]
Nearby Southeast Asian countries have similar styles of boxing martial arts. At anASEAN meeting in 1995, Cambodia suggested that the Thai boxing style,Muay Thai, be referred to as "Sovannaphum boxing," or "SEA Boxing," which would collectively represent Thailand, Cambodia,Laos, andMyanmar.Sovannaphum means "golden land" inKhmer, and is written asSuwannabhumi inThai. The name refers to mainland Southeast Asia in the ancient Indian language ofPali.
However, Thailand would not compromise, stating that each Southeast Asian country has its own boxing style, and that Thailand was responsible for making its boxing style an international sport. When it debuted at the2005 Southeast Asian Games, Cambodia did not enter the Muay Thai event in protest of the name used to refer to the sport.[46] At subsequent Southeast Asian Games, Southeast Asian boxing has been known by the ethnically neutral term "muay," with the exception of the2009 Southeast Asian Games inVientiane, when the sport was calledMuay Lao.[47] The decision did not spark any controversy or negative reaction from Thailand or Cambodia at that time.
At the2023 Southeast Asian Games, held in Cambodia, the event was called Kun Khmer instead of Muay Thai, which led to a boycott by Thailand. In response, Cambodia said it would retaliate by not sending boxers to the 2025 games in Thailand. The Secretary-general of the Cambodian Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee, Vath Chamroeun, asserted, “We are the host country, so we have the right to change it to Kun Khmer, as the sport has its origin in Khmer, and it is our culture.”[48] Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen addressed the issue by proposing, “When competing in Cambodia, we call it Kun Khmer; when competing in Thailand, we call it Muay Thai; when competing in Laos, we call it Muay Lao; and in Myanmar, we call it the name of their original martial arts. Can we find a compromise?”[49]
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has suggested that Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand jointly apply for UNESCO status for traditional martial arts.[50] Initially,Muay Lao Federation’s President, Saysamone Sayasone, supported the renaming, and concurred that the sport originated indeed inCambodia. However, amidst severe backlash from Thailand, he was compelled to apologise for his statements.[51] TheInternational Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) threatened six member-countries from Southeast Asia—Malaysia, Vietnam,the Philippines,Indonesia, Thailand, andSingapore—with a two-year ban on any IFMA competitions and activities, should they join the competition.[52] Eventually, only Thai athletes boycotted the competition.[53]
Kun Khmer consists of four types of strikes: punches, kicks, elbows, and knee strikes.[54] The clinch is used to wear down the opponent. In the clinch, opponents battle for the dominant position for short range strikes by way of elbows and knees. Kun Khmer is most well-known for its kicking and elbows technique. The roundhouse kick generates power from hip rotation rather than snapping the leg. The front kick is called sniet theak trang(straight push kick technique) or chrot eysei(hermit's crutch). The push kick is considered easy and simple to use in fights. The push kick can be used on areas that are not carefully guarded by the opponent. The push kick can be delivered by the ball of the foot or the heel of the foot. The push kick can be used to attack below the waist, the chest and the middle of the face.[55] Cambodian fighters tend to utilize more elbow strikes than that of other martial arts in the region.[56] A number of elbow techniques must be executed coming down from above into the centerline of the opponent or by coming up from below into the opponent's centerline.[57] In Kun Khmer, more victories come by way of an elbow technique than any other strikes. Many techniques have exotic names such as krapeu-ha(crocodile opening its mouth) and kla-krab(tiger lying down).[58]
Kun Khmer is an athletic sport that relies on agility, toughness, and flexibility.[59] Most participants are young adults due to the physical conditioning that a boxer must endure to keep their body in shape. The average age ranges from 14 to 25. Most Cambodian boxers come from impoverished backgrounds, and compete to earn money to feed their families and themselves. Top kickboxers can have as many as 200–300 fights in their careers.[60]
Cambodian boxers were traditionally paid by the crowd. If the crowd appreciated the boxer's efforts, they would reward him with food, alcohol, and cash. This practice still continues today, but in line with western practices, bouts pay official fees. Until recently, the average purse for a fight was US$15. Today, purses are based on experience. A new Cambodian boxer can earn US$25 per fight, while more experienced kickboxers with more than a dozen fights can earn up to $75. "Brand name" kickboxers can earn over $100 a fight. Special purse fights will pay up to $250, with the purse contributed by a corporate sponsor. "International" tournaments, organised by the broadcasters, will pay individual purses of up to $1000, sometimes higher.[60]
An estimated 70% of boxers in the Phnom Penh circuit come from the rural northwest. The provinces ofBattambang andBanteay Meanchey produce a steady supply of boxers.[61] Some of the best Kun Khmer champions come from theBattambang Province, although a number of big name stars have come via Southern Cambodia, such as Eh Phouthong fromKoh Kong Province, Thun Sophea fromSvay Rieng Province, and Meas Chantha and Seng Makara fromKandal Province. Cambodian boxers train in a gym under a Kun Khmerkru. The grandmasters that are responsible for preserving traditions are known asachar.[62] Many boxers train 6–8 hours a day and 7 days a week.
The Khmer boxing federation was reestablished in 1996. It has had four presidents. Khov Chhay is the current president after the resignation of Tem Meun in 2024.[63]
1. Prum Pich: first term, (1996-2000)
2. Um Yurann: second term (2000-2004), third term (2004-2008)
3. Tem Meun: fourth term(2008-2012), fifth term(2012-2016), sixth term(2016-2021), seventh term (2021-2025)
4. Khov Chhay: Continuation of 7th term (2024-2025)
As with all contact sports, health risks are a factor. According to Chhoeung Yavyen, a ringside doctor for the Cambodian Amateur Boxing Association, in the past five years, 30 kickboxers have sustained serious injury in the ring, including broken wrists, arms, shins, noses, and jaws, in addition to dislodged shoulders and hip injuries. One Cambodian boxer died in the ring in Svay Rieng Province in 2001, but that death was the result of a heart attack, probably brought on by diet pills consumed to help the boxer reduce his weight before the bout. Most of the injuries suffered are curable and don't leave lasting problems. Most boxers are allowed to return to the ring after receiving treatment.[10]
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A match consists of five three-minute rounds and takes place in a 6.1 meter squareboxing ring. A one-and-a-half or two-minute break occurs between each round. In olden times, ancient Khmer people would do praying rituals before going to the battlefield or war.[64] At the beginning of each match the boxers practice the praying rituals known as the kun kru or thvayobangkoum krou. There are different variations of the thvayobangkoum krou ritual with different names such as "Hanuman ties the bridge toSita".[65] There are 17 different variations of the ritual. Most are based on the main characters of theReamker story and believe to have occurred when Cambodia had a strong belief inHinduism.[66] The pre-competition teacher offering ritual also serves to warm the muscle and increase blood flow.[67]The praying ritual at the preliminaries of the boxing match is considered a real dance.[68] TraditionalCambodian music performed with the instruments of thesampho (a type of drum), thesralai klang khek (oboe) and thechhing is played during the match. The music of Khmer boxing is called vung phleng pradall or vung phleng klang khek. The music is made up of two sections. The first section is for the boxer's teachers while the second section is the fight music.[69] The first part uses a spirit(teacher) to help the boxers concentrate their minds and have confidence. The first part of the music is played slowly in arubato style. The melody is played by thesralai(oboe) and thesampho(drum) plays strokes at important points of the melody. The second part which is the fight music is played much faster and in meter. The music accelerates with the progression of the round. It stops at the end of the round or when someone is knocked out. When the fight is exciting, the audience claps in rhythm with the beat of thesampho(drum).[70] Modern boxers wear leather gloves and nylon shorts.[71]
Kun Khmer rules:
Victory can be obtained by knockout. A knockout occurs when a boxer is knocked down to the ground and cannot continue fighting after a 10-second count by the referee, a referee may forgo the count and declare a knockout if it is obvious the boxer will not regain his feet unaided. Victory can be obtained at the end of the match when judges decide by a point system which fighter was more effective. If fighters end up with the same score a draw is called.[71][72]
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Furthermore, it is developed into a popular national sport called Khmer traditional boxing.
A well-rounded archaeologist of the APSARA National Authority has unveiled Cambodian martial art bas-relief sculptures at temples at Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap province. The archaeologist Phoeung Dara said that some Cambodian martial art bas-relief sculptures are related to Kun Khmer, wrestling and Lbokator.
Since then, it has also appeared at the 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2019 Games – being dropped in favour of muay Lao (Laotian boxing) in 2009 and excluded completely in 2011 and 2015.
In February, the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (Ifma) warned six member-countries from Southeast Asia -- Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore -- not to send their Muay Thai athletes to the 2023 SEA Games to compete in the Kun Khmer competition or risk being banned from Ifma competitions and activities for two years.
The most notable difference between the two fighting styles is the more frequent use of elbows in Pradal Serey than in Muay Thai.
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