Thai Olympic gold medalist boxer Somluck Kamsing has confirmed the rumor that he will fight martial artist star Jean-Claude Van Damme in a muaythai match in March next year.
Somluck, the first Thai gold medalist who won the featherweight boxing event at the Atlanta Games in 1996, has confirmed the earlier report that he has signed a contract on September 4 to fight in a match against the Belgium-born Van Damme, who is best known for his roles in Hollywood action movies.
Somluck said the match, consisting of five two-minute rounds, will be held in Las Vegas, in March 2010 using muaythai rules, although elbow will be barred. He said he would be paid US$150,000 plus US$25,000 as training fee as well as a 2% share from broadcast revenue.
“I never thought about this possibility at all, but all the sudden Van Damme’s team called me, saying they tracked me down from a hotel employee who knew me. They want me to fight with muaythai style, except the elbows because they don’t want his face to get bruised, because he is an actor,” said Somluck.
The Thai fighter said the action movie star knew him from a K-1 event in Turkey he fought earlier this year.
Somluck said he would have to prepare himself well in order the fight the much larger Van Damme, but believes he would be able to defeat him with his superior muaythai skill and experience.
Kamsing-Van DammeFight of the century lads !
