Phnom Penh Kun Khmer Kickboxing Fights with Ringside Seats

Kun Khmer: Cambodia's traditional kickboxing

Kun Khmer, also called Pradal Serey, is the Cambodian style of kickboxing, a stand-up martial art of punches, kicks, elbows, knees and the clinch, in which fighters lock each other at close range and work with short kicks and elbow strikes. Cambodians trace it to the warriors of the Khmer Empire, whose combat is carved into the bas-reliefs of the Angkor temples, and the elbow remains the signature weapon: more bouts are decided by elbows than by any other strike.

Before each fight the boxers perform the kun kru, a slow ritual dance in honour of their teachers, accompanied by a live traditional orchestra of drum, cymbals and a reed instrument whose tempo rises with the action. Our guide explains these rituals, the scoring and the fighters' backgrounds, so that by the second bout you are following the exchanges like the local crowd around you. Kun Khmer fights in Phnom Penh are held several evenings a week and are the most authentic sporting spectacle in the country.

The stadium and the ringside seats

The bouts take place at a television stadium in Phnom Penh, where the fights are broadcast live across Cambodia and the stands fill with families, groups of friends and fans who have followed the boxers for years. With skip-the-queue entrance you walk straight in, and your seats are at ringside, close enough to hear the coaches, see the sweat and feel the orchestra's drum in your chest. It is the best seat in the house, and the reason this Phnom Penh boxing night is so different from watching on a screen.

Soft drinks or water and crisps are served while you watch; dinner is not included, so eat beforehand or afterwards near your hotel. The stadium atmosphere is friendly and family-oriented, and the guide stays with the group throughout. Pickup is timed so that you arrive with time to spare before the first bell, usually around 18:00 to 19:00 depending on the day's card.

The fight card: five bouts of five rounds

The evening's card has five fights: three between Cambodian boxers and two international bouts in which a local fighter meets an opponent from elsewhere in the region or further afield. Each fight is five rounds of three minutes with two-minute breaks, so the full card runs about two hours, with the ritual dance, the orchestra and the crowd filling the gaps between bouts. Bouts are decided by knockout or by the judges' decision, and the guide keeps you posted on who is who and how the scoring is going.

The international fights usually close the programme and bring the loudest reaction, because national pride is at stake. The mix of weights and styles across the card means the pace changes from bout to bout, from cautious technical rounds to all-out exchanges in the clinch. For anyone interested in martial arts, Kun Khmer ringside seats are the best introduction to a style that is older than many of its better-known neighbours.

After the last bell: the ring, the photo and the return

When the final bout ends, the group is taken down to the ring itself, where you can step through the ropes, stand on the canvas and take photos from the fighters' point of view, then pose for a picture with one of the well-known boxers of the evening. It is a rare piece of access that turns the night from a spectator event into a memory, and the guide helps with the photos.

Our driver then takes you back to your hotel in the city centre, about thirty minutes away, with the whole evening lasting around four hours from pickup. Things to do in Phnom Penh at night often start on the riverside; a fight night is the alternative that locals would choose, and it pairs well with a sunset cruise on another evening of your stay.