The Sport of Warriors

In Burma, the rules of boxing are somewhat different from those drawn up by the Marquis of Queensberry. Burmese boxing has a tradition extending almost as far back as the Burmese people. According to the historians, boxing was taught as a compulsory subject to the Burmese warriors during the reign of Ujana, King of Pinya, in 1323. Up to the time of King Thibaw [1878-85], the last Burmese king, Burmese warriors who were skilled in the art of boxing were designated “royal boxers,” and their names were carried on the treasury rolls.

Rules

Every part of the body, from the top of the head to the tip of the toes may be used according to Burmese rules. The head is used for butting, either to stop an opponent’s rush or to soften him up while holding him fast in a tight grip. The hands are used not only for hitting but also for holding. The elbows are used to parry an opponent’s blow or to deliver one in the opponent’s side. The knees are used for hitting an opponent who is held fast, or they may be used to deliver blows while the boxers are apart. The feet may trip an opponent or at least keep him off balance, or they may be used to stop an opponent’s rush with a well-executed flying kick. These tactics are commonly employed by Burmese boxers. To deliver the blows effectively, however, the boxer has to master his footwork, which is also considered important in another branch of the art of self-defense, Thaing. A Burmese (209) boxer has to know where to place his feet, how to advance, how to retreat, from what position to jump into the attack, and how best to evade the blows of the opponent. In close combat the Burmese boxer has to be well acquainted with the techniques of wrestling.

Thaing, another branch of the art of self-defense.

Courtesies

When a stranger sees a Burmese boxing match for the first time, he will probably conclude that there are no rules at all in Burmese boxing. However, upon closer study he will find that Burmese boxing not only has rules but that it is replete with sportsmanlike courtesies. For instance, a Burmese boxer will stop attacking his opponent as soon as the opponent signifies that he is unable to fight properly because he has (210) been cornered or because his position is too cramped. The attacker will withdraw and wait till his opponent shows that he is ready to continue the bout.

Burmese boxing may look extremely dangerous, but in fact it is not, for only well-matched boxers are chosen, and, as there are defenses for every type of attack, the attacker does not have everything his way. Moreover, to safeguard the boxers from untoward accidents, there are rules against scratching, biting, pulling hair, and hitting or kicking an opponent in the groin. The fingernails and toenails of boxers have to be kept properly trimmed. A boxer who is down may not be kicked or hit in any way and must lie motionless the way he hit the floor that is to say, on his back if he fell that way, on his side, or prone, as the case may be. The fighting must stop immediately if either of the referees calls for a halt or if one of the boxers asks for a respite either by raising his hand in front of his opponent or by tapping on his opponent’s back while in a clinch.

Classes

In Burmese boxing, body weight is not the criterion by which a boxer’s class is determined, although the referees usually match those who are similar in weight and build. Only when a boxer has reached the first class does he have to take on all comers, regardless of differences in weight and build.

Today, Burmese boxers are divided into four classes, with youngsters beginning in the fourth class and fighting their way up through the ranks. The classes are decided by the performance of the boxers. When one of the boxers becomes too good for his companions, he is promoted to a higher class, till he finally gains the first or highest class. Once a boxer has reached a higher class, he cannot descend again to fight in a lower class (212).

Musical Accompaniment

A Burmese boxing match is always accompanied by Burmese music played by the traditional Saing-waing (Burmese orchestra). When a Burmese boxer shows off his boxing skill before the commencement of the bout, a certain tune is played. When the boxing starts in earnest, the tune is different.

Before the actual boxing starts, Burmese boxers usually exhibit their boxing skills for the spectators. Sometimes the boxers take turns, and on such occasions the opponent is given a chance to study the form of his adversary. After the bout has been decided, the winner will in all likelihood go through the repertoire of his favorite steps and blows in celebration of his victory, while the loser will also show his dissatisfaction at the way the bout ended. Boxers in the old days used to recite self-laudatory verses describing their skills and the countless opponents they had overcome.

Burmese boxers enter the ring stripped to the waist. Each boxer wears a pair of shorts and has a longyi folded in the form of a triangle wound around his waist with one point of the triangle hanging down in front. The opponent is allowed to grab hold of this longyi in the course of the fight. Amulets are worn by Burmese boxers on their arms or tied to the corner of the longyi.

The Winner

The match is decided at the sign of blood. Each boxer is allowed to wipe away the blood three times before he is declared the loser. A match may also be decided when one of the boxers is too hurt to continue although he may not be bleeding.

In ordinary competition, a boxer accepts the challenge of another and fights for four rounds. If no decision is reached in

To a stranger, Burmese boxing seems to have no rules at all.

four rounds, the match is declared a draw. Championship bouts, on the other hand, are staged on the “knock out” system, so, if no decision is reached at the end of four rounds, the boxers have to carry on until a decision is reached before they can step out of the ring, or until time runs out. The championship tournament is a test of the stamina and endurance of the boxers. In the villages there have been instances where two boxers started battling at noon and were still at it at sunset. They had to settle for a draw.

Traditionally, Burmese boxing matches were held in a ring about twenty-four feet in diameter, strewn with sand or chaff. Nowadays, in the big towns like Rangoon and Mandalay, the modern canvas ring about twenty feet square has been adopted for Burmese boxing. But Burmese boxers still prefer the old earthen ring, which gives them scope for high leaps and flying kicks. Most Of them also prefer fighting at noon rather than at night under the bright electric lights.

Boxing Revitalized

After Burma WAS annexed by the British, Burmese boxing suffered a decline, from being the foremost sport of the elite warriors it became merely one Of the attractions at an out-of-the-way pagoda festival. Burmese boxers were classed with vagrants and habitual offenders under Sections 109 and 110 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Burmese boxing has almost died out in Upper Burma. The traditional art was kept alive in the paddy fields and villages far from the former royal capital of Mandalay.

In its program of revitalizing traditional Burmese sports the revolutionary government has not neglected Burmese boxing, which has thus come into its own again. To enable the people to get to know this traditional sport, annual championship tournaments are held in Rangoon during the Independence anniversary celebrations. But the persons who actually preserved this traditional art Of self-defense are the peasants Of Lower Burma, especially from the Tenasserim Division. Boxing tournaments are held from the month of October, when the paddy has been harvested, till about April. The boxers travel from town to town, taking part in tournaments that are so popular in this of Burma.

There are at present no Burmese boxers who train regularly and systematically or who have full-time coach to teach the finer points Of the Sport. Burmese boxers develop their physical fitness in the course of their regular occupation, clearing the land and ploughing and tilling it. They usually learn boxing the hard way, from their opponents.

According to World Spotts Rides, Burmese boxers would be regarded as they for fighting, but the money does not amount to much. A first-class boxer will probably get 30 50 kyats ($7—$10) per fight. While the championship prize in Rangoon has been known to reach K l,000 ($200), it is usually K 300 plus a gold coin. The boxers take part in tournaments not so much for the prize money (they usually have fields and gardens of their own) but for the love of the sport and the distinction of being a well-known fighter.