Teeyai: A Valiant Muay Thai Warrior!
….“The most dangerous weapon is the heart of the warrior!”
It’s not enough that Muay Thai fighters have great technical skills. The most powerful weapon they’ve got is the heart!
And that’s what Teeyai keeps on proving! Terrifically tireless, heavily focused and mentally tough- that’s how you’ll describe Teeyai inside the ring! With fast and strong clinch skills, this true Thai technician is exciting to watch in action!
Born as Sarawut Noothong, Teeyai came from Ban Thung Song in the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. He was once an idle dreamer who has been inspired by his Muay Thai-oriented family to take on the dare of the Muay Thai ring.
“I used to see the boxers train when I was getting ready for school and then sit and watch them after school”
He took his first punch at the age of 8 under the guidance of his uncle Sophon Khosawat. The early days were daunting for the young dreamer, though. He was born with a hearing disorder but it never held him back to pursue the desire of his heart.
I was born hearing impaired, but in the early days I could hear the cracks when the boxers kicked the pads with force. It excited me!”
“I’ve never really felt disadvantaged as a hearing impaired fighter because my hearing loss meant I had to rely on my other senses and I believe it enhanced my peripheral vision and my ability to perceive moving objects”, he stated.
….and a warrior was born!
As a young boxer, Sarawut Noothong gained the name Tee-lek, after a famous action hero in Thailand called Teeyai. Tee – lek (lek child), which later turned to Tee – yai (yai adult) when he turned 20. Even in his younger years, his trainers already knew that there’s a long way to go for this young man and will soon establish his own reputation in Muay Thai. That will be a product of dedication, courage and heart of a warrior always hungry for a win.
I won my first major title at 13 years old and continued to take other tittles and awards in the other provinces until I finished high school,”
This victory as South Thailand Champion he attributes to being what paved the way for him and ignited his urge to show his extraordinary skills in Muay Thai.
At 18 years Teeyai went pro, he trained & fought Muay Thai full-time – travelling from home to Bangkok to fight at the highly precedented Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Stadiums
But then, a year later, the adversities of life once again came in his way…
“South Thailand has been hit hard by weak global demand for its rubber. With an unstable government and rubber exports suffering depressed prices, my parents had to increase their output to get by. It was difficult to stay motivated training alone under extreme conditions”, Teeyai shared. This meant he was required to return home to help his family, which left little time or energy for training.
“I think I missed my chance at reaching the top and taking a major title in that period but I’m happy i went home and helped my parents. Family is everything in Thailand”
But despite this, he already scratched the word “surrender” from his vocabulary. Notwithstanding the chaos, he still went strong, with a motivation higher than ever, and the hunger for the sweet cherry remained in his heart. He got another chance to fight at Lumpinee with only 24 hours notice to prepare, he went on and took the win.
After that, I fought nearly every month at Lumpinee moving up the ranks in the Featherweight and Super Bantamweight divisions
The road went rough again for Teeyai in August 2014. During his training for a big fight at Lumpinee, he was hit by a car on his morning run. For the meantime, he ceased Muay Thai and took ample time to recover. In 2015 Teeyai relocated to Australia with his wife Sharon and with her help, he set a new start. He kept on training, stayed fit and established a very positive outlook in life.
The ring is again set for the warrior!
“I fought my first Muay Thai fight on the 28th of May 2016 against a tough Australian. It was also my first fight against a foreigner. I trained hard and my newfound dedication payed off with an easy win”, the victor said.
All his hardships paid off! His perseverance, hunger for victory, discipline and resilience to the challenges of Muay Thai brought him to what and where he is now.
At present, he is training under the guidance of 11 x World Champion John Wayne Parr at Boonchu Gym on the Gold Coast. He trains 6 days per week when he’s not fighting and 7 days when in fight camp.
…Is his current record of 60-16-0 & 12 KO’s enough?….Definitely, NO!
“I’m hungry to move up the ranks and be the best in Australia in my weight division”, Teeyai firmly said.
I want to fight solid muay thai boxers so I’m hoping for some exciting fights in the near future so that I feel challenged and so the audience gets to see and experience the best that muay thai has to offer in OZ”
And that hunger will surely pay off! There’s a clear path waiting for this valiant warrior in the world of Muay Thai and we will be lucky enough to bare witness to it!
I feel blessed to be part of the fight team at Boonchu under the guidance of Wayne and Angie Parr, thankful that I have an amazing wife who supports me and encourages me to be the best that i can be and very happy to be a member of NRF Australia”
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