Coban Lookchaomaesaitong

Coban Lookchaomaesaitong
Coban Lookchaomaesaitong
Born	Banlu Anwiset; August 4, 1966 (age 58); Phutthaisong, Buriram, Thailand
Native name	บรรลุ อันวิเศษ
Nickname	The Crusher ; (???) ; Fist of Mor lam ; (ไอ้หมัดหมอลำ)
Height	163 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Division	Super Featherweight ; Lightweight
Style	Muay Thai ; (Muay Mat)
Stance	Southpaw
Team	Muangsurin Gym ; Kiatbanchong Gym ; Lookchaomaesaitong Gym (-1990)
Kickboxing record
Total	270
Wins	250
By knockout	90
Losses	20

Banlu Anwiset (Thai: บรรลุ อันวิเศษ; born August 4, 1966), known professionally as Coban Lookchaomaesaitong (Thai: โคบาล ลูกเจ้าแม่ไทรทอง), is a Thai retired Muay Thai fighter. He is a two-time Lumpinee Stadium champion who was famous in 1980s and 1990s. He retired in 2000 after a 23-year career in Thailand and moved to New York to coach. He formerly coached at New York Jiu Jitsu in lower Manhattan and Daddis Fight Camps in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Coban now splits his time between Buriram, Thailand at Camp Lookchaomaesaitong ^[1] and Coban's Muay Thai Camp in New York City.^[2]

Biography

Young age

Coban was born as Banlu Anwiset in Phutthaisong, Buriram, Thailand, near the Cambodian border to a farmers' family of seven. One day while attending a local temple fair, he noticed that fighters were making what looked like easy money with their exhibitions. Seeing this as an opportunity to help his family, he resolved to become the best fighter in Thailand, and dreamed about fighting in Lumpinee stadium someday.

At 11, he started to train muay thai. With no money or resources, he made his own equipment by stuffing rice hulls and sawdust into canvas rice bags. Mimicking the moves of local fighters, he practiced daily after attending school and completing his farming chores. That same year he entered his first fight at a local temple, which resulted in a draw. The little money he earned went towards his family and education. Thus, his career was born.

It was at this time that Banlu acquired his fight name, "Coban," from a teacher of his who said that he looked like the actor Charles Bronson while riding on his Buffalo. At a later point in his career, American fans dubbed him Coban "The Cruncher." While in Thailand, he was dubbed "Fist of Mor lam" because he often dances on the ring with a Mor lam rhythm after a victory.^[3]

Stardom

In 1978, while training at the recreational center, a ringside doctor named Sam Rhung Jong Gon noticed him. He was so impressed with Coban’s determination that he became his official sponsor and mentor. When Coban was 13, Doctor Gon sent him to a Muay Thai camp called Lookchamaesaitong where he trained for the next 9 years. By the age of 15, he had already fought more than 35 fights. At 19, Coban had won his first World Championship at Lumpinee stadium.

In 1990, Camp Lookchamaesaitong closed. To honor the camp, Coban adopted Lookchamaesaitong as his "fighting last name."

Coban fought more than 270 fights in his 23-year career. His last fight was against former student Danny Steele at the Warrior’s Cup in California in September 2000. Despite not having fought in 3 years, Coban won the match.

In 2010, Camp Lookchaomaesaitong in Buriram, Thailand, re-opened. Camp owner, Mr. Nipon Chotison (Renowned and well-respected in the world of Muay Thai) and his son-in-law, Namkabuan Ratchapuekcafe (retired fighter) decided to re-open the original site after being closed for almost 20 years. Coban has also joined the team, and their mission is to preserve the ancient and authentic art and lifestyle of Muay Thai.

The toughest fights of his career were against Ramon Dekkers. He fought him a total of four times, resulting in two wins and two losses. The Coban vs. Dekkers fights have been rated as the best by any standards, by Muay Thai fans worldwide.^[4]^[5]

Titles and accomplishments

Lumpinee Stadium
- 1985 Lumpinee Stadium Junior Lightweight (130 lbs) Champion
- 1990 Lumpinee Stadium Lightweight (135 lbs) Champion

World Muay Thai Council
- 1991 WMTC World Super Lightweight Champion

International Muaythai Federation
- 1992 IMF World Welterweight Champion

Fight record

Kickboxing record
Date	Result	Opponent	Event	Location	Method	Round	Time
270 Fights 250 wins 90 KOs 20 Losses
2000-09-09	Win	Danny Steele	Warriors Cup of America	Irvine, California, United States	Decision (Split)	5	3:00
Wins the title of Warriors Cup.
?	Win	Tony Carr	World Championship Kickboxing	United States	KO (Low kick)	3
Wins the WKBA World Middleweight title.
1998-09-25	Loss	Malik Borbashev	Draka VI	Los Angeles, California, United States	TKO (Retirement)	7	0:00
1998-07-07	Loss	Manson Gibson	Crystal Park Casino Outdoor Show^[6]	Los Angeles, CA, USA	TKO (Right Back Kick)	5	1:59
Fight was for the vacant IKF Pro World Muaythai Light cruiserweight title.
1998-05-24	Loss	Malik Borbashev	Draka V	Los Angeles, California, United States	Decision (Unanimous)
Fight was for the vacant Draka World Super middleweight title.
?	Loss	Orono Por Muang Ubon		Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1995-	Loss	Guillaume Kerner		Los Angeles, United States	Decision	5	3:00
For the WTMC World title.
1994-08-03	Win	Dany Bill	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1994-06-25	Loss	Ramon Dekkers		Paris, France	Decision (Unanimous)	5	3:00
1994	Win	Hector Pena			KO (Left Hook)	2
Defends Muay Thai World Welterweight title.
1993-02-14	Win	Dida Diafat	Thai Boxing World Championship	Brest, France	Decision (Unanimous)	5	3:00
1992-10-03	Win	Jo Prestia		Levallois-Perret, France	Decision	5	3:00
Wins Muay Thai World Welterweight title.
1992-05-30	Loss	Superlek Sorn E-Sarn	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1992-02-28	Win	Ramon Dekkers		Samut Prakan, Thailand	Decision (Unanimous)	5	3:00
Wins the vacant IMF World Welterweight title.
?	Win	Joao Vieira	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1992-02-08	Win	Samransak Muangsurin	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	KO	2
1991-11-	Loss	Nongmoon Chomphutong	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
Loses the Lumpinee Stadium Lightweight (135 lbs) title.
1991-	Loss	Sakmongkol Sithchuchok	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1991-	Win	Nuenthong Senkiri	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	KO	2
1991-08-06	Loss	Ramon Dekkers	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	KO (Punches)	1
1991-07-02	Win	Chanchai Sor Tamarangsri	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	KO	1
1991	Win	Dida Diafat	World Muaythai Championship		Decision (Unanimous)	5	3:00
Wins World Muay Thai title.
1991	Win	Humphfrey Harrison		Netherlands	Decision	5	3:00
WTMC World Super Welterweight title.
1991	Win	Bandong Sitbangprachan	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	KO	2
Wins the vacant Lumpinee Stadium Lightweight (135 lbs) title.
1991-05-31	Win	Samransak Muangsurin	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	KO	3
1991-04-21	Win	Ramon Dekkers	IKL	Paris, France	KO (Left hook)	1	1:00
1991-	Win	Chombueng Chor.Waikul		New Zealand	TKO	4
1991-	Win	Noppadet Sor.Samruang		Ayutthaya, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1990-07-29	Win	Oliver Harrison		England	TKO (Referee Stoappge)	5
Wins WTMC World Super Lightweight title.
1990-06-30	Loss	Tantawannoi Sitsilachai	Lumpinee Stadium	Bangkok, Thailand	Referee stoppage	4
1990-05-27	Win	Tommy van de Berg	Holland vs Thailand	Amsterdam, Netherlands	KO (Left Hook)	1
1990-03-	Loss	Boonchai ThanatuwanonEkamit		Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-12-01	Loss	BanDon Sit BangPrachan		Ubon, Thailand	KO	4
1989-11-04	Win	Chombueng Chor.Waikul		Sisaket, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-10-29	Win	Sornarin Welnakhompathom		Nakhon Pathom, Thailand	KO	4
1989-10-	Draw	Saksit Muangsurin		Buriram, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-07-01	Win	Buakaew Kiatlansang		Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-06-10	Win	Palannoi Kiatanan		Thailand	KO	2
1989-05-18	Win	Sornarin Welnakhompathom		Mueang Chanthaburi, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-04-24	Win	Kongkiat Sor.Jimmanchof		Sisaket, Thailand	KO	3
1989-04-12	Win	Chombueng Chor. Waikul		Korat, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-03-31	Loss	Boonchai Huasai Gym		Pattani, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1989-03-04	Win	Saksit Muangsurin	Omnoi Stadium	Samut Sakhon, Thailand	KO	4
1989-01-07	Win	Samart Fairtex	Omnoi Stadium	Samut Sakhon, Thailand	KO	3
	Win	Barndon Sitbangprachan		Thailand	KO
	Win	Fallanoi Kietanan		Thailand	KO
1987-05-19	Win	Taunting Sityodtong	Rangsit Stadium	Rangsit, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1987-01-23	Loss	Phayapung Ekamit	Rangsit Stadium	Rangsit, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
For the Magnum Tiger Tournament title.
1986-11-28	Draw	Ritthichai Singkhiri	Rangsit Stadium	Rangsit, Thailand	Decision	5	3:00
1986-09-26	Win	Lamkhong Sitwaiwat	Rangsit Stadium	Rangsit, Thailand	KO	3
1986-08-08	Loss	Tantawannoi Sitsilachai	Rangsit Stadium	Rangsit, Thailand	TKO (Doctor stoppage)	3
1986-07-04	Win	Saksit Muangsurin		Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand	KO	4
	Loss	Tantawannoi Sitsilachai		Thailand
	Loss	Tantawannoi Sitsilachai		Thailand
	Loss	Tantawannoi Sitsilachai		Thailand
Legend: Win Loss Draw/No contest Notes