Kem Sitsongpeenong talks upcoming Thai Fight tournament and wanting to fight Buakaw

Kem Sitsongpeenong will be taking part in the Thai Fight 147 lb (67 kg) tournament, which begins Sunday September 25th in Bangkok, Thailand. Kem is the official Thailand representative in the tournament and was gracious enough to take some time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions for Muay Thai Authority about the upcoming tournament as well as his desire to fight Buakaw Por. Pramuk.

MTA: Kem, you are currently set to compete as part of the Thai Fight tournament, however, your opponent has been changed a few times. Does not being certain about who you are fighting affect your preparation in any way?
 
Kem: Yes, it does most times as we train specifically for the opponent I will be facing. However, in this case my opponent in the first round of the tournament is quite low level so there is not really any special preparation we need to do for this fight.

MTA: Currently your opponent is Alessio Algelo from Italy, are you familiar with him at all?

Kem: No, I have never heard of him. My manager has seen some video of him and told me there is no need to study this opponent because he is not difficult to fight.

MTA: Where do you feel you will be the stronger fighter in the fight?

Kem: I think I am much stronger all round than everyone in the tournament at 67kg. Looking at the field, my first opponent or maybe the Korean fighter is the weakest fighter at my weight. The others will be harder to fight, but still I cannot see anyone being a great threat.

MTA: Last year Fabio Pinca won the tournament and he is in the tournament again, you have beat him before and it seems you are both favorites to meet in the finals. What are your thoughts on another fight with Pinca?

Kem: I also think Pinca and I will meet in the final. He has improved since we fought and is always a dangerous opponent. He is probably the best pound for pound non-Thai fighter in the world. He has to be respected at all times and I will go into our fight fully prepared for him.

MTA: You are the official Thailand representative in the Thai Fight tournament, does knowing that you are the official representative of your country add any pressure?

Kem: Yes, it does add some pressure going into the fight, but I do not think it will affect my performance. I have had many big fights in my career before and faced tougher opponents so this I am not a stranger to the pressure. I am very proud to be my countries representative and will do my best to win for my country and supporters.

MTA: You have won the Isuzu tournament, you are a WMC champion a former Rajadamnern champion. When did you realize you had the potential to be such a great fighter?

Kem: I realized at a young age, around 14 or 15 y.o., that with hard work and determination I could become a good fighter who the potential to rise to the top of my sport.

MTA: Is there any fighter in particular you would like to face in the future?

Kem: The opponent I would like to face most at this time is Buakaw Por. Pramuk. He is very famous both in and outside of Thailand. But he is not highly regarded among knowledgeable Muaythai fans in my country. His success has come overseas against foreigners and he has not fought in Thailand or against Thai's for many years. There are many Thai's including myself that would like the opportunity to fight Buakaw and show the world how good we are.

I publicly challenged Buakaw shortly after winning the Isuzu Tournament with an offer to fight at the weight of his choosing and for no prize money if I lost. My manager also offered to put a large side bet on the fight as well, but our offer was turned down by Buakaw's manager. I do not think this fight will ever happen because his management protects him and does not allow him to fight Thai's.