“What always surprises a novice is how brutal Muay Thai really is,” Mauceri said. “Getting punched is one thing, but getting kicked, elbowed, and kneed is much different, and much more painful.”
Even so, Mauceri wouldn’t trade it for anything. Once he got past the first fight, he knew he was hooked.
“Stepping in to the ring for the first time is a crazy experience,” he said. “The adrenaline rush is like nothing you are likely to experience doing anything else. I wasn’t nervous for my first fight, I’ve always been an extremely well composed and mentally tough competitor, but I was excited. I barely remember my first fight; it was just a blur in my memory. Punches, kicks, knees, and it was over. Everything just happens in your first fight, you have less control, you just react. Now when I fight I’m calm, aggressive and deliberate. I have control over what I’m throwing and why I’m doing it. It’s a much different experience than the first few fights.”
The challenge of Muay Thai
It’s also less like another popular combat sport, mixed martial arts (MMA), than one might think.
“I’ve done both MMA and Muay Thai,” Mauceri said. “For me grappling is boring. It’s like the resting time between striking exchanges. Muay Thai is more technical, more exciting and more challenging. There are no take downs or holding when you’re hurt, you just bite down and swing back, and I love that.”
Mauceri’s next challenge will see him pitted against Coke Chunhawat, a Thai native with nearly 150 wins. The fight is a 140-pound preliminary bout at Lion Fight 19, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21 in the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn. The main event will see welterweight champion Fabio Pincia take on challenger Sean Kearney; in the co-main event, women’s featherweight champion Caley Reece will defend her title against Chajmaa Bellakhal. There are also three other fights on the card.
The fairly close proximity to Kingston means Mauceri should have a fairly sizable crowd rooting for him.
“I generally have a good crowd when I fight somewhere like Foxwoods,” he said. “About 30 people came to my fight with Ross, and about 20 are coming to this fight. I’m also well-known on the East Coast, so there are usually a huge number of fans in the crowd cheering me on. It’s always great to have fans there.”
In the meantime, Mauceri has been sticking to his strict training regimen, one which he hasn’t altered since his last fight.
“I haven’t changed my training for the fight with Coke,” Mauceri said. “I focus on improving every aspect of my game all the time, and being in the best shape I can be. I focus much on my opponent, (but) I don’t let their skills dictate my training. I like to be ready for anything that might happen in the fight.”
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