Kings Cup
The Kings Cup is the world's most important Muay Thai tournament. It is held on December 5th each year in honor of the Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). The final of the Kings Cup is also known as the Kings Cup Final Challenge (with the year after it). It is an official holiday in Thailand, when over a million people gather in Sanam Luang, a historically significant part of Bangkok, right in front of the Wat Phra Keaew Palace. The tournament will also be broadcast to other parts of the world by numerous television channels.
procedure
A total of around 300,000 spectators a year witness the prestige fights of local and international Muay Thai stars in honor of the king. The main attractions are the Super 8 title fights in which eight fighters compete for the coveted trophy donated by the King of Thailand. Traditionally, a fighter from Thailand comes on this occasion, another 7 fighters qualify for the final in advance of the international Kingscup Challenge. The winner of the Kings Cup is invited to the fight for the world title of the WMC (Word Muaythai Council).
In addition to the Super 8 title fights, there are other show fights and superfights in various weight classes with fighters from over 30 nations. The Kings Cup Final Challenge is held annually as part of the IFMA Muay Thai Amateur World Championship.
The 2010 field is peppered with the international superstars of the Muay Thai world. In addition to the defending champion Cosmo Alexandre, the Thai folk hero, contender champion and world champion Yodsaenklai will be at the start. The German IKBO world and European champion Alexander Vogel from Duisburg is also qualified for the world finals.
In 2010, the event will be broadcast live or time-shifted by ESPN Asia, Fox Asia and CCTV, among others. The event will also be broadcast live and in HD on US pay-per-view. In Germany, discussions are currently taking place with several broadcasting groups about a broadcast.
Kings Cup Masters Series
The Kings Cup Masters Series is the international tournament series with eliminations for the Kings Cup Final Challenge. The qualification takes place in three stages.
Kings Cup Final Challenge
In the "Grand Final", the Kings Cup Final Challenge, the seven Kings Cup Masters winners and a Thai fighter take part.
Kings Cup Masters
The highest level of the qualifying competition. The winners of the seven Masters events qualify directly for the Kings Cup Final Challenge.
Kings Cup Qualifiers
You take part in this at the invitation of the local promoter or the rights holder of the Kings Cup.
organization
Rights and license holder: Blackhawk Sports AG
Blackhawk Sports AG is the sole owner of all organizational and commercial rights to the Kings Cup Final Challenge and the Kings Cup Masters Series. The umbrella organization for professionals, the WMC (Word Muaythai Council), is the contractual partner of Blackhawk Sports AG.
Organizer Kings Cup in Bangkok: One Songchai Promotions
One Songchai Promotions is the largest and most famous martial arts promoter in Thailand. Over the past 33 years, the owner, Songchai Ratanasuban, has built a reputation for One Songchai that has resulted in over 70% of all Thai muaythai professionals starting their careers under its roof. He owns all 11 units of the winners of the Lumpin Stadium, Songchai Boxing Stadium and Somloung Stadium, organizes over 100 events a year with his group of companies and is considered in his home country to be a great promoter and sponsor of projects that help the poor and displaced people.
Associations
WMC (Word Muaythai Council) and the amateur association IFMA
Both the professional association WMC (Word Muaythai Council) and the amateur association IFMA (International Federation of Muaythai Amateuers) support the Kings Cup and the Kings Cup Challenge. The two institutions are authorized by the Thai government to officially continue the development of the Thai national sport nationally and internationally. The IFMA is also the driving force behind the endeavors that Muay Thai will become an Olympic discipline in 2016. The WMC maintains its own professional league and tries to achieve an even stronger presence of Muay Thai in the professional environment. In this context, the WMC guarantees a globally uniform ranking system that goes through all weight classes. The WMC has represented professional sport for twenty years and is now active with local organizations in 120 countries. IFMA and WMC are very well networked.
The strength of the Kings Cup Final Challenge and the Masters Series lies in the fact that they are recognized by the IFMA in the amateur field, which is recognized by the SportAccord (the former General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF)), and on a professional level by the WMC, the authorized umbrella organization in Muay Thai. It is an extremely rare constellation, if not unique, that the respective amateur and professional governing body of a sport endorse and support the same event or series of events.
Individual evidence
- ↑ swiss-press.com: The unique world of Muay Thai at the 2010 Kings Cup , here online ; last accessed on June 11, 2011