THE RING

These are twenty-four square feet of blood, sweat and pain.

Within these boundaries, an ancient martial art is practiced. The moment they cross its thick rubber ropes, children become men, and men become warriors. Thai Boxing is a sport, an art, and a form of livelihood for many young Siamese. With this photo series, I hope to illustrate the passion, the drama, and the tradition that exists within the Muay Thai ring.

It is intriguing how so much of these can be packed inside an area the size of twenty-four square feet. By excluding everything else that happens in the stadium - the bettors, the bands, the spectators - and focusing only on the fighting ring and its fighters, I also wish to show the brutal efficiency with which Muay Thai is practiced. The nameless children in these photos, with their gloves, their physique and their intense stares, are no longer just children. What they are now, I leave to the viewer to decide.

Lester V. Ledesma