The last training session before the match. Gum is only 13 years old, but he’s already
a fighter. I’m never scared. I always hit hard. I like to use my knees, that’s my main weapon,
I’m good with my knees. Like many at this gym in Thailand’s poor
Northeast, Gum has a troubled family background. His parents are divorced, his grandparents
can’t take care of him.
That’s how he ended up here. He eats, sleeps, and of course trains here
– in return he fights, for money. Our boxers are taking part in a lot of fights. Part of the money they win goes to the gym. That’s how we keep things running and how
we can take care of the kids. Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a national sport
in Thailand. It’s hugely popular, also among children. But the risk of injury is high. Recently, a 13-year old died after being knocked
out in a fight. Many parents downplay the risks involved. I think there’s very little effect on the
brain. If there was brain damage, I would know from
the behavior change after the fight. But I’ve never seen that before. But biggest danger is hidden from plain sight. These punches are pretty hard. On average, fighters like Gum will deliver
20 to 40 of these to their opponent's head in one round. And every time the brain suffers a minor injury. Over the years those injuries add up and that
can have devastating consequences. Dr. Jiraporn Laothamatas has been studying
the effects repeated punches to the head have on children’s brains.
The mechanism is chronic repeated minor brain
injury. It causes the dysfunction of the brain and
we found out that there is a decreased memory function, decreased IQ. This is dangerous because he can go to school,
he can sing, he can play, and nobody, if you look from the outside will know that he has
a brain injury. That’s why all the parents all say they
don’t see that anything’s wrong with their kids. She's calling for banning fights for children
under 12 – and no full contact before they’re 15. But in reality, kids even younger excite the
crowds all over Thailand. For Gum, it’s fight night. If he does well, he hopes one day he can make
it big and box in the capital, Bangkok. That’s where the money is. But first he has to win here. But it’s not going so well for Gum. After five rounds, his opponent wins on points. My arms weren’t strong enough, he was simply
better.
I’m very sad. I have to train harder. He’ll be back another day. For Gum, like many youngsters in Thailand,
boxing is a shot at a better life. But one that could come at a high price..
