Thai Fight Comes To King Power Stadium

On Friday 17 August, the eve of the new npower Championship football season, Leicester City owners Vichai and Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn will stage an exhibition of one of the most popular sports in their home nation of Thailand - Muay Thai - adding an eastern dimension to Leicester's reputation as a city of rich, diverse sporting culture.

The event, to be held in a purpose-built outdoor showcase within the grounds of King Power Stadium, will see 16 of the world's leading 'nak muay' competing in eight bouts of elite Thai boxing, displaying some of the incredible technical skills that have made Muay Thai Thailand's national sport.

In recent years, Thai boxing competitions have brought millions of tourists and interested foreign boxers to Thailand to applaud the art of Muay Thai.

And now, as their gift to the Leicester City supporters ahead of the new season, the Raksriaksorn family have worked to bring an exhibition of elite-level Muay Thai to King Power Stadium.

Leicester City Vice Chairman Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn said: "We wanted to give something back to the Leicester City supporters that would also introduce them to part of the Thai culture - something we could share with them, as they have shared their love of football with us.

"We are all very excited about the start of the new season and this will be a chance for us to celebrate its arrival together, before the team gets down to business against Peterborough United the next day."

A modern integration of several ancient boxing disciplines, Muay Thai incorporates the use of hands, feet, knees and elbows. Its popularity in Thailand is already firmly-established, but 'Thai Fight' is aimed at promoting and gaining global recognition for Thai art of self-defence.

Among the world-leading competitors at King Power Stadium on Friday 17 August will be:

BUAKAW POR PRAMUK, ABDALLAH MABEL, ABDOUL TOURE, HAMED ASSAN, ARMIN PUMPANMUANGWINDYSPORT, CRAIG JOSE, CRIVE BOUSSOUKOU, DYLAN SALVADOR, HOUCINE BENNOUI, JORDAN WATSON, LIAM HARRISON, MICHAEL DICKS, REGHI ISSAM, SAIYOK PUMPANMUANGWINDYSPORT, SINGMANEE KAEWASAMRIT, SUDSAKORN SOR KLINMEE.

Leicester City's Chief Executive Officer, Susan Whelan, said: "This is a remarkable opportunity for Leicester City supporters and the people of Leicester and beyond to experience something truly unique to Thai culture.

"Given the popularity of Muay Thai all over the world, I am sure this event will also prove popular to a wider audience - particularly in a city such as Leicester, where sporting excellence is so widely appreciated."

Thai Fight Extreme 2012 will be held at King Power Stadium on Friday 17 August, with doors opening at 4pm and the first of eight exciting bouts getting under way at 5pm. Admission will be limited to ages 10 and above.

Tickets will go on sale from 9am on Thursday 26 July, from the City Fanstore at King Power Stadium, online at www.lcfcdirect.com and from the City Sales Centre on 0844 815 5000.

A limited number of tickets for this special event will be available to Leicester City Season Ticket Holders at the special price of £5 until Wednesday 1 August. These tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis and can be exchanged upon entry for a food and drink voucher to the value of £5.

General admission tickets (including all tickets purchased after 1 August) will be priced £10.

Go to www.lcfcdirect.com or call the City Sales Centre on 0844 815 5000 to secure your tickets now and stay logged on to lcfc.com for the latest information in the build-up to this extraordinary event.

Applications for media accreditation should be sent by email to pressbox@lcfc.co.uk.