Today we take a look at Sumalee Boxing Gym in Phuket, Thailand, which has quickly become one of the best places to train authentic traditional muay thai on the beautiful island of Phuket in Southern Thailand.

In a beautiful location and off the main tourist areas of Phuket, Sumalee Boxing Gym is one of the best facilities to train and learn Muay Thai from some of the best Thai coaches and former Stadium champions in Thailand.

Whether you're a complete beginner to the sport of Muay Thai or a seasoned fighter wanting regular professional fights over an extended stay, Sumalee is a welcoming gym to all ages and abilities. They give you a chance to learn the National Sport of Thailand at whatever level you want to take it. Sumalee Boxing Gym became the first Muay Thai gym in Thailand to be fully sponsored by SANDEE in 2014.

Set in beautiful surroundings - Sumalee Boxing Gym

Whether you're a complete beginner to the sport of Muay Thai or a seasoned fighter wanting regular professional fights over an extended stay, Sumalee is a welcoming gym to all ages and abilities.

In November last year SANDEE  were pleased to announce that the first prize of the 2015 SANDEE Junior Championships was an unprecedented all expenses paid trip to train at Sumalee Boxing Gym in Phuket. As a prize this takes our first UK national junior competition to another level, with the chance for three lucky winners to gain a valuable training experience with one of the best up and coming gyms in Thailand.

Fight Night at Bangla Stadium - Phuket

If you follow Muay Thai Facebook pages or Twitter accounts then you may have already have a taste of what life at Sumalee Boxing Gym is all about. Their Facebook Page (like it here) is full of their fighters competing at Bangla Boxing Stadium in Patong, one of two dedicated Muay Thai stadiums in Phuket.

The amazing fight pictures which are regularly posted show the blood, sweat and tears of every competition, but this only a part of the story.

Behind every photo of fighters in the midst of battle, there is the Sumalee team cheering them on and willing them to win.

 

Scroll through any of the regular fight galleries and you will see the coaches, other fighters, management, and their students, beginners and experienced alike. They are all part of a close knit team showing true camadarie as they support their fellow Sumalee nak muay.

All Smiles in the Land of Smiles - Afterwards they will be killing you on the pads

Pictures of life at the gym are the same. Muay Thai is serious business, there is no doubt about it. Go into a fight and take it lightly and you are likely to get knocked out. Preparation is the key, and Sumalee can help you achieve your goals. The thing that sets them apart is a friendly family atmosphere that combines the hard training you expect, but with a sense of fun and enjoyment that makes Sumalee a truly unique place to train.

 Muay Thai is serious business, there is no doubt about it. Go into a fight and take it lightly and you are likely to get knocked out.

The gym was opened in December 2012 by Dr Lynne Miller (Managing Director) and her daughter, Riah Miller. In less than three years it has already established itself as one of the leading traditional Muay Thai training camps in Phuket. Sumalee Boxing Gym was named after the legendary Sor Sumalee Gym in Ubon Ratchathani where many Champions from the golden era of Muay Thai were trained.

Training Area and Boxing Rings

The training area is fully equipped with SANDEE equipment throughout. It features 2 full size rings, 8 1.5m heavy bags, a 2m heavy bag, 2 wall mounted punch bags, a teardrop punchbag, and a large open training floor. Within their vast grounds the camp also features an air conditioned weights studio, 11 deluxe rooms, 4 mini suites, a Ringside Restaurant, swimming pool and mini games pitch, all on-site. Sumalee has 5 dedicated Muay Thai trainers with well over a thousand fights between them, most of which still fight at varying levels.

Sumalee currently have three sponsored fighters at the camp- Craig Dickson (Scotland), Martin Avery (England) and Jordan “Deachkalek” Coe (Scotland). Craig is probably the most well known having fought on many high profile shows and stadiums such as Thai Fight, Max Muay Thai, the Toyota Cup and most recently, the prestigious Lumpinee Boxing Staium in Bangkok.

Craig Dickson sealing the ring before his fight on Thai Fight

The camp is located in the Thalang area in the North-East of Phuket, far from the madding crowds in the South of the island. The gym is just down the road from the Heroines Monument (An important landmark to the people of Phuket) and sits behind the iconic Tha Rua shrine which takes part in hosting the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival every year.

Most people that visit the camp enjoy “living like a local” and, despite not being in a touristic area, they have many attractions just a short drive away

Most people that visit the camp enjoy “living like a local” and, despite not being in a touristic area, they have many attractions just a short drive away. This includes Anthem Wakepark (One of the premium wake boarding facilities in the world), Bang Pae Waterfall & Gibbon Sanctuary (One of only 2 waterfalls on the island), and some of the best beaches in Phuket.

Setting Sun on beautiful Phuket Thailand

Unlike many MMA gyms that have appeared on the island, Sumalee will always focus purely on Muay Thai. Their main clients are people that stay at the camp and, because of this, their student/trainer ratio is always low. Their sponsored fighters are also always on hand to give advice to anyone that needs it. The camp should appeal to westerners because of the individual attention each student receives from their Thai training team and the high levels of customer service provided by management.

Unlike many MMA gyms that have appeared on the island, Sumalee will always focus purely on Muay Thai.

Westerners can fight at Bangla after training with their team for at least 2 weeks. Fight nights in Phuket are held almost every day of the week so there is always plenty of opportunity for visiting nak muay to get a match.

Follow Sumalee Boxing Gym through their social media, or check out their website for more information and prices.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SumaleeBoxingGym

Twitter https://twitter.com/sumaleeboxing

Instagram https://instagram.com/sumaleeboxinggym