The Swedish Ramon Dekkers Is Making the Rounds in Thailand
Photos by Matt Lucas

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The Swedish Ramon Dekkers Is Making the Rounds in Thailand

Nicknames in Thailand's Muay Thai community are given only to a special few. Meet the Swedish fighter who earned his.

It was a big deal when Samuel Bark knocked out Samingdet Lukmichumpon at Rangsit Stadium last month. For the young Swede, who first came to Thailand just two years ago, it was his biggest fight to date. Samingdet Lukmichumpon was a stadium regular at Rajadamnern, and still in his prime as a fighter. Different from fighting at Max Muay Thai or MX Muay Extreme, where Bark was first noticed, this fight at Rangsit meant you were fighting for the gamblers, not for entertainment; where winning was everything.

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Bark has kept exceptionally active in while in Thailand. He accepts all fights that come his way, whether five or three rounds, whether wearing traditional boxing gloves, or MMA gloves. He's spent two solid years in the circuit, and survived Thai style training at a gym not known for housing foreigners. To put it simply, Bark is a fighter and fighters fight.

In the Muay Thai community in Thailand, nicknames are reserved for those who have paid their dues and stand out from the thousands. Golden Era fighter, Sangtiennoi Sor. Runroj was one of them. A champion at both Lumpini and Rajadamnern, he was nicknamed 'The Deadly Kisser' as he used to kiss his opponents before every fight to mark his prospective victory. And now, over 20 years later, joining the ranks of his mentor, Bark has earned himself the nickname 'Sammon Dekkers'.

The ring announcers at Rangsit Stadium introduced him as a forward fighting fighter with incredible KO potential. Will the Thai survive? Or will the foreigner, known only for three round fights, gas? The name Sammon Dekkers is a tribute to the legendary Ramon Dekkers . Ramon made one hell of an impact on the sport of Muay Thai, especially in Thailand, and Bark's nickname proves it. It's been over 20 years since Ramon knocked out a reigning Thai champion at Lumpini Stadium, and he's still on the minds of the Thais.

Those are some big shoes to fill, but thus far the Swede hasn't let anyone down. While his time in Thailand has been peppered with losses, those losses were via hard fought battles against Thailand's best. To add to that, he's only ever lost by decision. One of those losses came via the fast hands and unorthodox style of fellow knockout artist and Thai champion Saeksan Or. Kwanmuang at Max Muay Thai. Saeksan made sure to keep Bark from finding his rhythm and though it wasn't Bark's best performance, he still held his own against 'The Man Who Yields to No One.'

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His dedication to the grind has even earned him a top ten spot on the WBC World Muay Thai rankings. What Bark's story and new found fandom has taught fellow aspiring farang fighters in Thailand is that there is no shortcut to the top. Prior to arriving in Thailand Bark worked for two years in a factory saving up everything he could so he could live and train in Thailand for one year. It was his dedication and loyalty to the gym that then earned him a spot as a sponsored fighter. Training at Sangtiennoi's gym in Pathum Thani borders the line between breaking and making fighters. Training sessions, twice daily are long, intense, and repetitive. Although only 40km North of Bangkok, the gym is located in what seems like the middle of nowhere with nothing in view but rice fields. Chickens and the gyms 'pet' pig are free to roam. Stepping, and or slipping in chicken shit is completely acceptable at the gym and complaining about it will only earn you extra kicks on the bag.

While Bark's last fight was somewhat monumental, it is merely a stepping stone for him.

"My plan is to fight and get as much experience as I can with my ultimate goal being able to fight at Rajadamnern Stadium as part of a big promotion against one of the biggest names in Thailand."

While the goal is in reach, it won't be any easy journey. Bark is mainly a three round fighter, and his heavy handed style reflects that. Similar types of fighters in Thailand too often get dubbed as 'win by knockout or lose by decision' fighters, and while they keep things exciting they are not gambler favourites. With rounds four and five holding the most impact with the judges, Bark will have to up his conditioning to keep up with his own pace or adjust his style. And with only approximately 50% of his fights going the distance it will be a back and forth battle to gain that indispensable ring time that Thai fighters are so well known for.

Whether he can make it in the Bangkok stadia or not, isn't essential to his career. He's already fought the main events at both Max Muay Thai and MX Xtreme, and his former coach Don Millar from Supafight Gym has been able to book him both fights and seminars in Australia. Dedicated to the grind, living the dream, Bark was able to quit his full-time job and can now rely solely on his income from fighting. It looks like Samuel Bark's days of factory work are behind him, while his days as Sammon Dekkers are just beginning.