Pradal Serey is the Cambodian national sport and a branch of kickboxing (like Muay Thai).

Rattatan is a poor 29 year old Khmer fighter and started training at 26 to raise money and start his own barber shop.

As a natural athlete with cool demeanor and wins including knock outs he has been invited to fight on Cambodia's national TV in Phnom Phen.

From my time training at Rattatan's Pradal Serey stable (mud\dirt pit) in the town of Battambang. I was invited to escort Rattatan for the fight.

Little did I know, I would be in his ring corner, for his last fight and watch him leave for Siem Reap with his barbers chair to start a new life.

The story\footage highlights how a brutal sport like Pradal Serey can replace despair with hope.

The video has an intro and ending but it is kind of jittery with no road maps\story to what is happening. So if you are interested in Cambodia and would like to see a few knock outs, big knees and get up close with Cambodia's fighting culture then it is may be worth the fifteen minutes. 12mins if you skip my hair cut....