Written by John Wolcott
Photos by Eric Jukelevics

Inside the belly of a brick building in Lodi, NJ, Ognjen Topić [Og-neyan Tow-pidge] prepares himself for another day of training. He slides his wrapped hands into a pair of 16-ounce boxing gloves and begins to warm up in front of a tall mirror peppered with sweat. Punches. Kicks. Knees. Elbows. His techniques are sharp and crisp. His eyes are focused.
     For the 27-year-old professional muaythai fighter, he has only one goal. To be the best.
     “Ognjen’s drive to be the best is what sets him apart from his peers,” said Liam Tarrant, Topić’s training partner for the last 8 years. “He knew he was a champion before anyone else did.”
     For the past 9 years Topić has been training and fighting out of North Jersey Muay Thai u...

Written by John Wolcott
Photos courtesy of Jeff Dojillo

Muaythai fighters, like photographers, speak a visual language. Through their techniques and strategies they define their work. They define their personalities. Their styles. But unlike photographers, whose job it is to capture the ever-changing moments before us, the work of a fighter is constantly in flux. For if they stop for just one moment to admire the glory in their work, in an instance they could be toppled by the adversaries before them. Instead, that task is passed on to photographers like Jeff Dojillo, for whom muaythai teeters between two worlds. Those worlds: the static and the dynamic.
     Whether it’s through the use of still images or images in motion, Dojillo’s work in muaythai defines not only what it means to be a ...

Photo by Eric Nelson

Channel 7 and S-1 champion, Jomhod Sagami, will be making his American muaythai debut on May 16th when he headlines the “M-ONE: Reborn” muaythai event at San Manuel Casino in Highland, California.
     Jomhod, a Thailand native who was born Sarawut Panthayoung, will be challenging America’s Romie Adanza for a WBC muaythai world title.
     Adanza is one of America’s top muaythai fighters in his weight division, collecting numerous titles under the WBC, the IKKC, and the MTAA. Fight fans may remember Adanza from his knockout win over Luangsuanlek Sasiprapa at M-ONE’s December 2011 event.
     Jomhod, however, is just as adept at using his hands. In his last fight on April 5th at Lumpini Stadium, Jomhod finished off Kusagonnoi Sor Junsen by knockout...

Here is a gem of a pad work session we found on YouTube of Manasak training at Pinsinchai Gym. The action starts about :37 into the video. Manasak’s technique is crisp, simple, and powerful.

In this episode of Muaythai Journal we return to Sangmorakot Gym to talk with young Thai boxer, PetchIssan SeaTransDiscovery. PetchIssan talks about his motivation behind fighting, which revolves around his desire to help his family earn more money, and who is main influence is around the gym. Closing out the episode Pinsiam Sor. Amnoisirichoi works the pads in furious fashion.