Mateusz Golsztajn from Bolesławiec has been training in Thai boxing for nine years. He was a fighter with the Bolesławiec Muay Thai Club and, under the guidance of coach Grzegorz Nazar, even won the Polish championship title and first place in the Polish Cup in 2010. “I have always been interested in martial arts and have been energetic. I started training muay thai in 2007. This sport became my passion and love. Year by year, I became more attached to it and devoted myself to it more. It genuinely gave me pleasure. I had a great deal of enthusiasm for it, and that is how it has remained. I knew where muay thai came from. In Thailand, it is the national sport,” says the Bolesławiec fighter. “I started watching fights between Thai warriors and their training sessions online. I really liked watching videos from Thailand and used them as a model. The level and possibilities were outstanding. I really liked their style. It was truly impressive and made a huge impression on me. I wanted to try it myself and see what it was like. It was very interesting to me. It became my goal and dream.
Mateusz went to Thailand to fulfill his dream: to train and fight in the birthplace of his sport and live among Thai people. He arranged everything on his own. “I was completely determined and had no doubts. I decided that the time had come and that I had to test myself in the real world of muay thai and learn from the best,” says the Bolesławiec warrior. He contacted a club in Bangkok, and his muay thai adventure in Thailand truly began. This happened on September 6, 2013. The first time, Mateusz went to Thailand for seven months. He treated it as a wonderful adventure while also fulfilling his greatest dream. He liked the country very much. He decided to continue, enjoy it and gain experience. As he himself says: “The world belongs to the brave.”
In total, he spent 21 months in the homeland of Thai boxing. “It was the best period of my life. I got to know Thailand’s culture and people. I found my place there perfectly and was happy. It was a beautiful and valuable experience. I will certainly return there again after some time,” he announces.
He fought in five regions of Thailand and contested 24 bouts. He won most of them. “Thai people are small and inconspicuous, but incredibly strong. They can really surprise you. They kick like horses and have impressive endurance and fighting spirit. They are truly great warriors, and I have enormous respect for them. Thai people are the best in the world. This sport is their culture and pride. Getting kicked by one of them is like being hit with a baseball bat,” Mateusz Golsztajn says. “They train and fight from a young age, so there are no jokes when fighting them. But what I like about them very much is that they do not act superior; they are good, modest and kind people.
According to the Bolesławiec fighter, Thailand is completely different from Poland: “Thailand is another world. A completely different way of life. People there are very kind, friendly and hospitable. A completely different mentality and atmosphere prevail there. A stranger can approach you in the street when they see that something is wrong and ask: Do you need anything? Can I help somehow? That is what people there are like. Many times I received help, support and a great deal of kindness from strangers on the street in various situations. And that is even more true of the people with whom I was close and lived alongside in a club, and whom I encountered every day. I met wonderful people with whom I became genuinely close friends in the Ubon Ratchathani province, where I spent eight months. The people there were truly great, and the owners of the club where I lived and trained treated me like a son. I could always count on them, and they could count on me. Throughout that time, I experienced a great deal of goodness and courtesy from Thai people. They are very valuable people, with a great deal of respect and humility in them. From the beginning, I felt at home in Thailand. That is why I keep returning there and am happy. I lead a completely different life. I have become very attached to the country and its people. This is my place on earth. It is a beautiful country with a beautiful culture and wonderful people. I live very well there. Besides, it is summer all year round, life is inexpensive, Thai cuisine is very tasty—and the women are beautiful and charming. What more could one want?
Interestingly, Mateusz Golsztajn emphasizes that there is no social pathology in Thailand: no subcultures, vandals or aggression. “Thai people are calm and relaxed. They have a great sense of perspective. They are also characterized by high personal culture and respectable conduct. I always had very good relations with Thai people. They have a great deal of respect and humility in them. They are very friendly and open. I feel safe and comfortable in Thailand. It is pleasant. I love the climate and atmosphere there, and I am happy that I found my place in this place,” he emphasizes.
It is also important that muay thai fighters can focus solely on training because their club supports them. “That is the case with Thai fighters. Foreigners who come from all over the world to a club in Thailand have to pay for their stay and training. Although clubs sometimes offer sponsorships,” Mateusz says. “I personally received such an offer at a club in Chiang Mai. I had everything completely free of charge. In general, life in Thailand works like this: you live at the club—you sleep, eat and train, and nothing else concerns you. Ideal conditions for development. The club becomes your second home. Regular training, hard work and discipline are the foundation. I think that thanks to this I managed to achieve so much and fulfill my dreams.
“I am characterized by discipline, responsibility and perseverance. These are very important in this sport. Nothing comes easily, and you have to work diligently for it. It is a difficult sport. Especially in Thailand,” the Bolesławiec warrior continues. And he adds: “I am not surprised that Thai people are the best in the world, since they have such training conditions from an early age. It is their national sport, culture and tradition.
The most difficult fight? “There have been many difficult bouts,” Mateusz admits. “Before I flew to Thailand, I had fought only as an amateur. It was in Thailand that I fought my first professional bout. It is a completely different matter: you fight without protective equipment or headgear. Personally, I prefer it and feel better in the professional format. It is much more comfortable for me. I remember receiving my first solid low kick from a Thai fighter during my first bout. It felt as if I had been hit with a baseball bat. Thai fighters are known for powerful, solid kicks. I managed to win my first professional bout by knockout in the second round. I was very happy about the victory and remember it as if it happened yesterday.
It also happened that, during one month at a club in Ubon Ratchathani province, where the frequency of fights was very high, Mateusz contested as many as three bouts. In one of them, his opponent broke his nose with an elbow strike. “As for injuries during fights, I have already broken my nose twice and suffered a cut to my head. I have often had significant bruising on my ribs and back from kicks and knees. After all, it is a fight in which there are no jokes, and you have to be prepared for it,” he emphasizes. “But I never failed to give as good as I got. Even when I lost a bout, my opponents never had it easy against me, because I always fight to the very end and never give up. I can endure a lot—that is what it is about. Otherwise, there is no point in entering the ring. I know why I enter the ring. For me, it is a matter of honor. I believe that in life you have to do what you love, make the most of it and fulfill yourself while you have the opportunity.
“I fulfilled my two greatest dreams: I went to Thailand and spent a total of more than 21 months there, visiting five different regions. I got to know Thailand’s culture and people, which was a unique experience for me, and I remember it very fondly. I also won a championship belt, which is a great trophy and a testament for a fighter. I knew that one day I would win a championship belt in Thailand because I give it everything I have. That is why I went there. It was my goal, and I worked diligently for it,” he says in an interview with “ii”. And he adds: “You have to fulfill your dreams in life and be happy while you have the chance. You have to take concrete action toward that goal and not hesitate. You cannot waste this beautiful gift and opportunity.
Plans for the future? “Maybe I would try my hand at MMA—we will see,” Mateusz wonders. “I am not saying no; I would like to try something new. I like challenges.
We asked whether he would like to stay in Thailand permanently. “If that were possible, I would not hesitate for a moment. Thailand is exceptional, and this is my place on earth,” the Bolesławiec warrior replied.
