Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz

Tuesday, 15 August 2006, 4:02 pm
Press Release: Highlander Promotions
PAPAHO PANUI / MEDIA STATEMENT

Te 15 o nga ra o Here-turi-koka / 15 August 2006

For immediate release.

KI A:

Newsdesk Editors
Sports Reporters
What's On Editors

'Aotearoa's First Ever, Full Muay-Thai 8 Man Elimination Kickboxing Event'

Saturday 02 September 2006; Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre, Manukau City

For the first time ever in Aotearoa, WKB-1 and Highlander Promotions along with principal
sponsor, Mai Media Ltd present the Mai FM S-1 Oceania Championship, a Full Muay-Thai Rules, 8 man elimination kickboxing event.

S-1 Full Muay-Thai Rules is the most spectacular example of kickboxing and is rapidly becoming the fastest growing spectator sport in the world with qualifying events held worldwide. The sudden death format of this 8-man competition, where fighters can use all their weapons such as elbows, knees, punching and kicking provides spectators with all the drama, thrills and excitement they can handle.

This exciting event will see some of the very best 72.5kg Full Muay-Thai fighters from New Zealand, Australia and Thailand such as:

Choppa Chapman (NZ), Wanlop Sitpholek (Thailand), Prince Hamid (NZ), Mot Eck (Thailand), Warren Elson (Australia), Spike Chamberlain (NZ), Aaron Dixon (NZ), Shane Cornish (NZ)

Super Fight: Aaron Boyes (NZ) vs Leonard Sitpholek (Thailand)

With each fighter a current or past World, Commonwealth, South Pacific, Australian or New Zealand champion the action will be intense as they compete against each other for the Rights, Honour and Esteem of being crowned the first ever S-1 Oceania Grand Champion.

The winner securing for himself a place in Muay-Thai's most prestigious event, the Final of the 8 Man World S-1 Championship on December 5th in Bangkok, Thailand and the opportunity to become the world S-1 Grand Champion which carries a prize purse of 1 million baht.(Approx NZ$42,000.00)

Siraphop Ratanasuban (Songchai Jnr) will be attending this Event to welcome S-1, (the S standing for Self-Confidence, Self-Respect and Self-Discipline), to New Zealand and the Oceania Region which will be a great honour for Muay-Thai in this part of the World.

To book your Corporate Table / VIP Ringside Seats, contact: Scotty Thomson 021 142 0433 or highlandersfight@xtra.co.nz.

General tickets are on sale at TicketDirect. 0800 224 224 or www.ticketdirect.co.nz

ENDS

Posted by MTS at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brett Ratner’s never been bashful about talking about who he’d like to have in his movies – He said Anthony Hopkins was his pick for Jor-El in “Superman Returns”, for instance, long before he’d even told the studio of his intentions – and now he’s unveiled his “wish list” for “Rush Hour 3”.

Ratner tells Coming Soon that he’d love to get basketballer Yao Ming, Aishwarya Rai, Gong Li and Tony Jaa for the next film. Who’s got a woody for the foreign biggies, then?

Hmm.OK. Nice picks. But are they prepared to sell their souls for the cabbage? Guess we’ll see.

"I'll tell you who I'm going after," he said with a burst of excitement. "I want Yao Ming, the basketball player, to be in it. I want to recreate the fight sequence from the Bruce Lee movie where he fights Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but I want to do the reverse; I want Chris Tucker to fight Yao Ming. I want that to happen. I want Aishwarya Rai [the biggest female star in Bollywood] and I would love Gong Li [last seen in Memoirs of a Geisha] to be in the movie. There's some people that I want, but I don't know if I'll be able to get them. Tony Jaa [star of last year's Ong Bak: Thai Warrior] I want, too. I love him."

“Rush Hour 3” starts filming this Summer in New York and Paris.

Source: http://www.moviehole.net/news/20060515_ratners_rush_hour_3_wish_list.html

Posted by MTS at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NDTV Correspondent

Saturday, July 22, 2006 (Uttaradit, Thailand):

Sport not only helps keep a person physically fit but also mentally strong and the ancient martial art of Muay Thai boxing is proof of that.

Dozens of Thai boys and girls have said yes to this sport and no to drugs. They are not vying for a role in a sequel to Hollywood blockbuster Rocky but simply making some money to make ends meet.

12-year old national champion Phannipa and twin sister Sawinee Chaithes are just among the many Thai girls who are addicted to the sport of Muay Thai or kickboxing.

At the end of another day at school it's the beginning of an even tougher class for them, which needs close to five hours of physical exercise each day.

"The children live with their grandparents who may not understand their needs. This is why we worry about the children that they might mix with the wrong company and get involved with drugs," said Chuchart Khumpuang, Director, Suksawittaya School.

Most of the children come from nearby villages and live under severe conditions of poverty. Boxing has given most of them a new lease of life.

Worth the pain

Apart from helping the children spend their time constructively, they manage to make about $26 from every match, money that is well worth the pain especially for the sisters.

"I like it when I fight. It's a little painful, but I can make some money to support my grandmother," said Phannipa Chaithes, Muay Thai Boxer.

"I pity them every time they fight in a match because I'm afraid they will get hurt. But they have to do it because if they don't fight, they'll have no money," said Lubhiyat Chaites, twins' grandmother.

The Suksawittaya School helps around 40 such girls and boys to sharpen their kicks and punches. While this ancient martial art may not serve as a long-term career for these children, it certainly gives them a means of earning their livelihood for the time being.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/

Posted by MTS at 02:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

[BOXING] Thai superstar Danthai Singhmanasak faces a fierce challenge from British and European muay Thai star Kieran Keddle when the two fighters meet for the WBC Muaythai world super lightweight title in London on September 17.

The match-up sees the best from the west clash with one of Thailand's most outstanding fighters in a world championship event that is generating excitement in the streets of London.

United as One promoter Nash Keshwala said there was a lot of well founded confidence that Keddle will take the world title, even though Danthai has a brilliant fighting career.

On the same card another British muay Thai hero, Dale White, takes on Aelexei Biznev - a tough combatant from Belarus - for the WBC Muaythai European international featherweight championship.

Keddle and White have been exceptional fighters in muay Thai and both will be fighting for British pride. Keddle has fought and trained in Thailand and has been one of the most dominant fighters in Europe. Both Keddle and White are in peak condition.

Meanwhile the WBC Muaythai world light heavyweight title bout scheduled for Copenhagen in Denmark on September 2 will feature Denmark's Bassam Chahrour and Sweden's Markus Oberg.

Promoter Brain Talarek said the event will set the benchmark for the heavier weight divisions in the WBC Muaythai organisation.

Both fighters' credentials for the world tile are impressive with Chahrour, 21, winning all 33 fights - 19 by knockout - and Oberg winning 14 of 16 contests - five by knockout.

The WBC Muaythai world championship action will swing into Germany on November 11 when promoter Klaus Waschkewitz stages the world super welterweight championship.

Thailand's sensational world champion Yodsaenklai Fairtex will defend his title against Germany's brilliant Mark Vogel in the city of Wuppertal.

WBC Muaythai schedule:

August 31: Bishkek, Kyrghastan

Lamsongkram (Thailand) v Joost Bauhaus (Holland)

International Middleweight Championship

September 2: Copenhagen, Denmark

Bassam Chahrour (Denmark) v Markus Oberg (Sweden)

World Super Lightweight Title

September 17: London, United Kingdom

Danthai Singhmanasak (Thailand) v Kieran Keddle (UK)

World Super Lightweight Title

Dale White (UK) v Aelexei Biznev (Belarus)

European International Featherweight Championship.

November 11: Wuppertal, Germany

Yodsaenklai Fairtex (Thailand) v Mark Vogel (Germany)

Super Welterweight World Title defence.

Patrick Cusick

The Nation

Source: http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/26/sport/sport_30009544.php

Posted by MTS at 04:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)