30/05/2026
1936!
Long before Lumpinee became a symbol of Muay Thai greatness…
before Rajadamnern Stadium opened its doors…
and before the Golden Age legends became household names…
There was this.
Siam, 1936.
Two of the greatest fighters of their generation stepped into the ring to decide who stood at the top of Thai boxing.
Samarn Dilokvilas versus Somphong Vejasidh.
This was their third meeting.
Samarn was already considered one of the finest fighters in the country. Smooth, intelligent, composed, and respected as a master of the old style. A man who carried himself like a gentleman, but fought with the confidence of a champion.
Across from him stood Somphong Vejasidh — dangerous, aggressive, and known for his punching power. At a time when Muay Thai was changing, Somphong represented the new influence of Western boxing: sharp hands, pressure, and the ability to hurt an opponent quickly.
What we are watching here is not modern stadium Muay Thai.
This is something older.
The stance is different.
The rhythm is different.
The distance, the balance, the movement — everything feels like a bridge between two eras.
You can see traces of ancient Muay Thai, what many people today would associate with Muay Boran. But you can also see the growing influence of international boxing: jabs, footwork, head movement, and hand combinations.
This fight is not just two men trying to win.
It is Muay Thai itself, caught in the middle of evolution.
Samarn moves with patience. He watches, reads, and chooses his moments. He is not reckless. He understands timing, distance, and balance. Even when the exchanges become messy, he remains calm.
Somphong is more forceful. He wants to pressure, to punch, to turn the fight into a battle. He knows that if he can land clean with his hands, the whole contest can change.
And that is what makes this footage so powerful.
It is not polished.
It is not filmed like a modern broadcast.
But it is real history.
Every movement gives us a glimpse into what elite Muay Thai looked like nearly ninety years ago.
The fighters switch stance.
They spin.
They clinch.
They throw, trip, punch, kick, and elbow in ways that feel both familiar and completely different from what we see today.
There are moments where it almost looks wild — but look closer, and you see skill. You see timing. You see old knowledge.
This was a time when rules, scoring, and ringcraft were still becoming what we now recognise as modern Muay Thai.
Samarn and Somphong were not just fighting for victory on one night.
They were fighting for status.
For reputation.
For the right to be called the best fighter in Siam.
Their rivalry had already begun years before this contest, and it would continue after it. But this third fight became one of the most important surviving records of that era.
By the end, Samarn Dilokvilas took the decision.
He proved once again why he was considered one of the great champions of pre-war Thai boxing.
But both men left behind something bigger than a result.
They left behind a window into the past.
A rare look at Muay Thai before the stadium era.
Before television.
Before global fame.
This is the sport before it became a worldwide phenomenon.
Samarn Dilokvilas versus Somphong Vejasidh.
Siamese boxing in 1936.
Not just a fight…
A piece of Muay Thai history.
