HISTORY OF
KUN KHMER
Khmer martial arts history dates back to the 1st Century AD with drawings on the walls at the temples in Angkor Watt. The old martial arts are collectively referred to as Bokator today. The empthy hand art and sport in the contemporary era is called Kun Khmer គុនខ្មែរ(Cambodian Martial Art), Pradal Serey ប្រដាល់សេរី (free boxing), with the offician sports name of Kback Kun Pradal Khmer ប្រដាល់សេរី
A Southeast Asian Kickboxing Style
Pradal Serey, like its cousin arts in neighboring countries: Muay Thai (Thailand), Lethwei (Myanmar), Muay Lao (Laos), Tomoi (Malaysia), Yaw-Yan/Suntukan/Panantukan (Philippines), is a kickboxing sport that employs the use of boxing style punching, kicking, kneeing, and elbowing as well as sweeping and throwing. Styles vary amoung each fighter as they do in western boxing. The clinch is highly combative as the fighters employ their most dangerous tools: elbows, knees, sweeps, and throws. Referees don’t break fighters when they clinch for this reason. Modern professional fights consiste of 5 rounds at 3 minutes each.
From its inception to the French colonia period, the matches were fought without gloves and included more deadly techniques as well as the ones found in contemporary Pradal Serey. Matches were held in dirt pits and hands were wrapped in rope. Between 1920 and 1930, it was common for matches to end in death. In one province, Battambang Province, fighters added crushed seashells to the rope to inflict more injury to the opponents. Stretchers and coffins were kept near the fights to carry off seriously injured or killed fighters.
As French colonialists began to enter their fighters into matches, a safer rule set, gloves, and a ring were introduced as the norm. By the 1960’s, the sport was hitting a golden age.
In 1975, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge seized control of the nation and the whole society was subject to upheaval. Martial arts as well as many things were banned and athelets were killed being considered threats to the Khmer Rouge. Few fighters survived by hiding their identities and escaping as refugees.
After the overthrown of Pol Pot and the eventual re-establishment of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Kun Khmer as made a steady comeback in Cambodia. In the United States, former Champion Oum Ry Ban opened The Long Beach Kickboxing Center and began producing champions. Today Kun Khmer is promoted in several countries around the world, was featured in the 2023 Asian Games hosted in Cambodia, and matches and championship bouts are a regular occurance in Cambodia.
From its inception to the French colonia period, the matches were fought without gloves and included more deadly techniques as well as the ones found in contemporary Pradal Serey. Matches were held in dirt pits and hands were wrapped in rope. Between 1920 and 1930, it was common for matches to end in death. In one province, Battambang Province, fighters added crushed seashells to the rope to inflict more injury to the opponents. Stretchers and coffins were kept near the fights to carry off seriously injured or killed fighters.
As French colonialists began to enter their fighters into matches, a safer rule set, gloves, and a ring were introduced as the norm. By the 1960’s, the sport was hitting a golden age.
In 1975, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge seized control of the nation and the whole society was subject to upheaval. Martial arts as well as many things were banned and athelets were killed being considered threats to the Khmer Rouge. Few fighters survived by hiding their identities and escaping as refugees.
After the overthrown of Pol Pot and the eventual re-establishment of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Kun Khmer as made a steady comeback in Cambodia. In the United States, former Champion Oum Ry Ban opened The Long Beach Kickboxing Center and began producing champions. Today Kun Khmer is promoted in several countries around the world, was featured in the 2023 Asian Games hosted in Cambodia, and matches and championship bouts are a regular occurance in Cambodia.
PRADAL SEREY MATCHES
selected pradal serey matches found on YouTube