The Legend of Lumpinee Stadium

Thai musicians play music to accompany muay Thai at Lumpinee stadium. (Photo: Peter Charlesworth/LightRocket/Getty)Opening in 1954 after general Praphas Charusathien urged the Thai army to build another stadium following the wild success of Rajadamnern, Lumpinee Stadium was once the gold standard for muay Thai events. From the time its birth until the late 1990s, the venue held some of the greatest fights in muay Thai history, and winning a Lumpinee championship quickly represented the highest level of achievement in the sport. Old Lumpinee Stadium closed in 2014 due to the opening of a new-and-improved version just a few miles away. With the demolition of the original, much history was lost.

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