Author seancarslake

I’m old and slow, but I finished ‘Tomb Raider Remastered’.

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The reflexes were not what they once were, and my hand-eye coordination has seen better days, but none of these issues prevented me from conquering this game.

I don’t have a lot of spare time on my hands, so it took me a few months – and countless short gaming sessions – to get the job done. In fact, so slow was I that the next trilogy (Tomb Raider 4-6) was released at around the same time I wrapped up this game.

But despite dragging things out, reliving ‘Tomb Raider’ was an enjoyable experience, except for the last three levels – but I will go into more detail about that later. I find this interesting as I don’t recall feeling this way during my initial playthroughs back in the late 90’s, but this time around just getting through those final areas was a real slog.

It’s probably just age catching up with me.

A quick recap: The game starts off in Peru with a level called ‘The Caves’, which allows the player to get used to the controls without too many dangerous foes to deal with – except for bats and the odd wolf pack.

Following that, things get a little harder – with a battle against a T-Rex and a few rogue raptors being the highlight.

The Peru adventure concludes with Lara taking a piece of the mystical Scion at the end of the ‘Tomb of Qualopec’ level.

My overall thoughts are that the first four chapters looked good, and were fun to play without being too much of a challenge.

The Greece levels – starting with ‘St Francis’ Folly’ – is when the game’s difficulty goes up a notch. Lions, crocodiles and gorillas are dangerous enemies and attack in large numbers, while you have to constantly pull off death-defying climbing and jumping stunts.

Adding to the difficulty are the constant surprise attacks from rival explorer Pierre DuPont. This guy is a real jerk and pops up at the worst possible times, inflicting huge amounts of damage with his guns before running away once Lara gets the upper hand.

The French pest appears across multiple levels until finally meeting his Waterloo at the end of the ‘Tomb of Tihocan’ level – right next to a pot plant, in my case.

As incredible as the Greece levels were, I think ‘Tomb Raider’ hits a peak once it reaches Egypt. There’s something far more alluring about exploring ancient Pyramids and seeing Sphinxes and hieroglyphics recreated so brilliantly in the remastered game.

However, whilst Egypt was a joy – the following levels were somewhat of a disappointment.

The lead-in to the finale starts off with ‘Natla’s Mines’; a stage that is both an eyesore and difficult, with a lot of jumping and climbing – not to mention searching and backtracking – with the only enemies being various henchmen popping up to shoot at Lara.

Then there is the ‘Atlantis’ level, that goes from looking like a hellish nightmare, to something resembling the inside of a stomach. The enemies are annoying as well, as they are fireball-shooting Atlantean beings that hatch from giant eggs – not good!

Then there is the infamous fleshy doppelganger, as well as the long-armed mutant torso Lara has to fight at the start of the final level – ‘The Great Pyramid’.

By this time the game had become frustrating and I was irritated by the off-putting surroundings and constant acrobatics needed in order to progress through.

However, as you can see in the above screenshots, I defeated the final boss (Natla) and scaled the seismic-shaking pyramid to make it to the very end. It was a struggle at times, with my age (fifty-something) being an issue with some of the trickier elements and tougher fights, so I shall keep that in mind when sharing my final thoughts and giving an overall score.

Despite the last three levels being less-than-inspiring, I still rate this game very highly. It was a ground-breaking release on PlayStation back in 1996, and a lot of that magic still rubs off on the 2024 PS5 version.

I cannot fault the work involved in improving the graphics and the overall aesthetics, but unfortunately I did have one minor gripe; and it was a problem that popped up constantly throughout the game.

It has been commonly reported that the remastered version of ‘Tomb Raider’ does have some lighting issues, and this was definitely a hangup for me as well. It was hard to find keys or other pickups, and sometimes it was so gloomy that even boulders of red-hot lava could not be seen until they were right on top of you.

If you check out the split screenshot above, it is clear that the boulder trap is near-impossible to detect in the new version (top), whereas in the original game (bottom) you can spot the danger from a country mile away. See what I mean?

Anyway, besides this, I have nothing but praise for the game and would give it a solid eight out of ten – with some of the Greece and Egypt levels receiving perfect scores.

On a final note, I was looking forward to playing the ‘Unfinished Business’ bonus levels, and even made it past the first stage – ‘Atlantean Stronghold’.

Now, very rarely will you hear about an Aussie quitting, but I simply couldn’t take any more of Atlantis. This level was everything I despised – the mutants, the eggs, the lava, the fleshy corridors – but this time around it was on steroids!

So, I shall now move on to ‘Tomb Raider II’ – and will try and pick up my pace and defeat it as quickly as possible.

Is this the greatest YouTube channel ever?

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Drain Cleaning Australia – yes, that’s right! As crazy as it sounds, this channel features some of the most addictive content I have ever come across, and all brought to you by a plumber based in Perth, Western Australia.

The premise is quite simple; the host gets called out to unblock drains, pipes, and grease traps – and then films everything while offering an entertaining and uniquely Australian commentary. I don’t know why this works, but it does – and very well indeed!

The plumber himself is a bit of a mystery man, as we never see his face nor learn the name of the business he owns. I could be wrong about this, but I have watched dozens of his videos and this appears to be the case. I think this dynamic works well for the channel.

What we do know is that his name is Bruce, and that he operates in Perth where he offers plumbing services to both the city and surrounding areas. We also learn very quickly indeed that Bruce is quite a character – a real entertainer to be sure!

How this man can film to such a high standard while battling difficult jobs is an achievement in itself, especially when you consider that most of his videos are created via his mobile phone – with additional footage provided by a drain camera.

Not only are the videos well-edited and presented, but the channel also provides a soundtrack of sorts – with 1980’s synth-electronic music pumping out whenever the action reaches a crescendo. The main beat sounds a little like Daft Punk, whilst another track regularly featured on the channel has a real Pet Shop Boys vibe about it.

These videos are highly informative and educational, as Bruce takes the time to explain the nature of how complex networks of pipes work and the direction in which the water is supposed to flow. Before long you will be talking about gullies and inspection points, and after that you will start noticing these places wherever you go – paying attention to things that were always there, and now knowing their purpose having watched this channel.

I can also assure you that after absorbing some of Bruce’s grease trap content, you will gain considerable knowledge about how these contraptions work.

The host also provides a great rundown of the equipment that he uses, and you quickly learn how and why – and under which circumstances he deploys them. In fact, after watching a couple of videos you might be able to start anticipating which tools Bruce is about to use – depending on what type of job he is facing.

For the most part, the weapon-of-choice is a high pressure jet hose – with a famous nozzle attached to the end that is known as ‘The German’.

I’m sure the owner won’t mind me giving his videos a plug, and I should mention that all the photos I have used were taken directly from his channel – Drain Cleaning Australia.

Look, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so if you are a little weak-stomached when it comes to built up grease and gunk – not to mention sewage – then perhaps you should give this channel a miss. But for those who have a curious streak and enjoy delving into subjects and situations foreign to them, then Drain Cleaning Australia could be for you.

Also consider that water usage is a big part of our everyday lives; we just don’t think about it a lot until something goes wrong – and when it does, plumbers become modern-day heroes. With that in mind, the host of this channel is incredibly highly-skilled at his job, and always gets the business done – leaving his viewers completely satisfied after every video.

Drain Cleaning Australia – 248,000 subscribers can’t be wrong, so check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/@DrainCleaningAUSTRALIA

All screenshots used are courtesy of Drain Cleaning Australia YouTube Channel.

‘The Living Daylights’ – An underrated Bond film.

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Following Roger Moore’s final appearance as James Bond in 1985’s ‘A View To A Kill’, the search was on to find the next actor to play agent 007. After an extensive auditioning process, Eon Productions decided on Pierce Brosnan, but he was unable to take the role due to a contractual situation with the television show ‘Remington Steele’ and NBC.

With the producers back to square one, they turned to Timothy Dalton; an actor who had been on their radar since the 1970’s. Eventually they would get their man, and a new incarnation of James Bond was ready to grace our screens.

The promotional material for ‘The Living Daylights’ suggested that the Bond franchise was heading into darker territory, moving away from the lighter tones of the Roger Moore era. I particularly like the phrase “The most dangerous Bond. Ever.” and Dalton’s expression on the poster was certainly encouraging for Bond fans hoping for a more serious turn.

‘The Living Daylights’ starts off with an explosive chase scene in Gibraltar, confirming Dalton’s standing as a great action man and proving that he was up to the task. It was an impressive sequence that set the plot of the movie up nicely, whilst keeping a fast pace and delivering plenty of thrills.

The film’s story revolves around the defection of KGB superior Giorgi Koskov, who makes contact with British Intelligence and personally requests James Bond to oversee his extraction from Bratislava to London.

It all sounds like a lifetime ago, when the Iron Curtain and Eastern Bloc countries were still around (in that form), but this part of the movie is quite entertaining – as well as nostalgic – and the method used to help Koskov escape to the West is most ingenious.

Of course, things never go so easily in the world of espionage, and before the British have a chance to find out everything Koskov knows, he is snatched back by a KGB agent posing as a milkman – and armed with explosive milk bottles!

At this point we are thirty-five minutes in, and so far so good. However, from here onward the pace of the film does slow a little, but the steely performance of Dalton and well-executed action scenes are more than enough to propel things along.

From Czechoslovakia to Vienna and then onto Afghanistan (and also Tangier) for the third and final act, the movie progresses neatly within an ideal running time of just over two hours.

Timothy Dalton is supported by a decent cast in this film with Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe as Koskov, John Rhys-Davies as General Pushkin, Joe Don Baker as arms dealer Brad Whittaker and Maryam D’Abo as Kara Milovy.

The movie’s soundtrack is also impressive, and would be the final Bond film for composer John Barry. The main theme by Norwegian band a-ha has a great eighties beat, and there are two songs performed by The Pretenders – one of which is the haunting and moody ‘If There Was A Man’, that is played during the end credits.

‘The Living Daylights’ opened to reasonable reviews in June 1987, and did very well at the box office – earning $190 million from a $40 million budget – and easily eclipsing the takings from the previous Bond film ‘A View to a Kill’ released two years earlier.

I always found this to be a gritty and mature entry into the Bond series, but the seriousness of Dalton’s performance did take a little adjusting to – especially after more than a decade of Roger Moore’s humour and tongue-in-cheek antics.

My only criticism of the film is that the plot does become a little complex and the main villains come across as lightweight, even comical at times. That being said, the plans of these bad guys are a lot more grounded and realistic compared to previous Bond foes who usually wanted to take over the entire world.

This is one of my favourite Bond films, and I have grown to appreciate it even more over the years. I think what has helped raise this movie’s wider appeal – as well as cast Dalton’s portrayal of Bond in a new light – would be the success of Daniel Craig and his similar approach to the role in recent years.

Dalton would play James Bond one more time – in 1989’s ‘Licence To Kill’ – and I will share my thoughts on that film at a later date.

A link to the theatrical trailer for ‘The Living Daylights’ is below, courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers YouTube Channel.

Screenshots and photos courtesy of United Artists and Eon Productions.

A night out at Port FC – Bangkok, Thailand.

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When I was in Bangkok a couple of weeks ago, I studied the schedule for the Thai Premier League and discovered that a game was being played only two train stops away from my hotel.

Needless to say I went and checked it out.

My destination was PAT Stadium, which is a compact venue that holds far less than 10,000 spectators – possibly closer to 5,000 – so it doesn’t take much to fill the place up and create a loud and vibrant atmosphere.

The local team here is Port FC, based in Bangkok’s port district, who are a reasonably successful side and currently sit around 3rd or 4th place on the league table.

Outside the venue there were dozens of food vendors set up, and the beer sellers were doing a roaring trade. In fact, I observed that hundreds of people were in no hurry to catch the kick-off, as they were still sitting around outside the ground enjoying their drinks well after the game had commenced.

I also noted that even more folks left their seats just before half-time to resume their drinking session outside, which was a shame because in doing so they missed their team score a goal.

There was a great merchandise shop at the ground as well, and it was obvious that the club jerseys were a highly-sought-after item as almost everyone was wearing one.

The game itself was an entertaining affair, with Port FC fighting back from 3-1 down against Ratchaburi to salvage a 3-3 draw.

In my honest opinion, the standard of the competition is well below that of the A-League here in Australia (recent results in the Asian Champions League might suggest otherwise), but there was enough speed and individual skill on show to satisfy any football fan. The VAR was a real mess however, and was constantly stopping the game and taking ages to come up with a decision – not helped by the linesman (assistant referee) nearest to where I was sitting who didn’t have the best of games.

If I had to give my experience a score out of ten, it would be no lower than 9. This was an enjoyable night out; the crowd and atmosphere were brilliant, the fans were friendly and welcoming, and there was a ton of well-priced food and beverages available.

In fact, I liked it so much that I will make an effort to come back and watch another game next time I am in Bangkok.

“A feast of football!” as the late, great Les Murray would say.

I did create a short video of my experience – the link is below.

The Taj Mahal of Thailand

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The Central Mosque of Songkhla, situated on the outskirts of Hat Yai, is not exactly a famous tourist attraction in Thailand – but it is well worth visiting.

The Mosque was a two hour walk (10km) from my hotel in mid-town Hat Yai, which in hindsight was perhaps a little too far to hike – especially as half that distance was alongside a busy highway with no footpaths.

However, being a typical Aussie, I toughed it out and reached my destination without too much trouble; and the long walk was definitely worth it!

I should point out that this is a place of worship and not Disneyland, so there is little else to do here except take photos and admire the grandness of the building.

Also, I’m not sure what the rules were, but I walked up to the main doors and upon seeing others not wearing shoes – unlike myself – I quickly turned around and scurried back to the road. There were a few strange looks thrown my way, but hopefully I didn’t offend anyone – and I’m sure the arrival of the Tourist Police minutes later was purely a coincidence.

So, if you happen to be in Southern Thailand – Hat Yai or Songkhla Town to be exact – then the Central Mosque should be on your list of places to visit.

I did take some video footage as well and uploaded it to my YouTube channel – link below.

‘Soldier’ – The 1998 Kurt Russell cult-classic.

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I will put this out there right away; this film was panned by critics and seriously bombed at the box office when it was released in 1998.

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon, Resident Evil), the movie is based around the genetically modified – but ageing – futuristic soldier Sgt Todd 3465 (played by Russell) who is literally dumped like unwanted garbage onto a distant planet inhabited by scavengers and refugees.

I thought the film was okay when I first watched it around twenty-five years ago. The cast was pretty good – with Gary Busey and Jason Isaacs starring alongside Russell – and the special effects and battle scenes were more-than-passable.

Kurt Russell was in amazing shape for this film, as the requirements of his character dictated. Over his career, he would have been in decent condition for some of his roles – Snake Plissken in ‘Escape From New York’ springs to mind – but his physique in this movie is on another level. Check out the screenshots below.

But perhaps what is most intriguing about ‘Soldier’ are the references to ‘Blade Runner’, posing the question: – Are these two films set in the same cinematic universe?

I know this discussion is old hat for science-fiction aficionados, but I shall continue to present some evidence for those unaware of the possible connection.

The first thing I will point out is that David Peoples – the writer of ‘Soldier’ – also co-wrote the screenplay for ‘Blade Runner’. With that in mind, let’s move on to the film itself and see where the crossovers take place.

If you follow the arrows in the above capture you will note ‘Nexus’, ‘Tannhauser Gate’ and ‘Shoulder of Orion’ – and for most sci-fi fans, there is no explanation required here.

But for those unaware; the term ‘Nexus’ is used in ‘Blade Runner’ to categorise a series of replicants and the two places named are mentioned in Roy Batty’s famous monologue at the end of the film – which is one of the greatest passages in cinema history.

In this screenshot, you can see what looks like a ‘spinner’ from ‘Blade Runner’ among the rest of the garbage on the planet Arcadia 234.

There is also a conversation that takes place between the two settlers Mace and Sandra (played by Sean Pertwee and Connie Nielsen) who shelter Sgt Todd in their home. Once again, ‘Tannhauser Gate’ is mentioned.

However, if you once again look at Todd’s military record and focus on where the arrow is, you will see four references to characters Kurt Russell has played in other movies. In my opinion, this comedic touch all but removes any seriousness with the connections to ‘Blade Runner’.

For the record, and for those who aren’t movie buffs, I will explain exactly where these tongue-in-cheek commendation names originated from: – Russell played Gabriel Cash in ‘Tango and Cash’, Snake Plissken in ‘Escape from New York’ and ‘Escape from LA’, Jack O’Neil in ‘Stargate’, and R. J MacReady in ‘The Thing’ (but spelled incorrectly in the screenshot).

In one last piece of trivia regarding ‘Soldier’ – Kurt Russell’s son Wyatt played the twelve-year-old version of Todd 3465 in the movie.

My understanding is that ‘Soldier’ has become a little more appreciated over the years, which is good to know as it is a fairly solid sci-fi flick – and definitely worth watching.

It’s good value just for Kurt Russell alone, but looking back I have to say that this movie has more of a ‘Pitch Black’ or ‘Riddick’ vibe to it – and not so much ‘Blade Runner’.

As far as the action sequences are concerned, the combat scenes, firefights and explosions are right up there – a lot better than what we see today and less reliant on CGI effects.

I would have given this film a solid pass mark when it first came out, but now I’ve upped the score to a 3.5 out of 5.

See the official trailer below, courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers YouTube Channel.

Screenshots and photos courtesy of Morgan Creek Productions and People.com

Tomb Raider Remastered – The Khamoon Levels.

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I have already posted several articles about the remastered version of ‘Tomb Raider’ that was released last year – and I have not held back with my glowing reviews of this game.

Most of my admiration has been based upon the improved visuals and graphics, and having now played through into the Egypt stages I can safely say that the game designers continue to exceed all expectations.

As usual, I will place screenshots from both the original 1996 game and the 2024 upgrade together, and the differences should become apparent immediately. The greatest example of this would be the Sphinx Room (below), where the improvement is immeasurable.

And look how the hieroglyphs have been sharpened and improved in the following shots.

The next two comparisons are interesting, as the designers have added a skylight or opening in both ceilings to justify the well-lit chambers. I think it’s a great touch.

The scope and imagination of this title continues to blow me away, and I am looking forward to powering through to the end and then continuing on with ‘Tomb Raider II’.

However, before I start the next Lara Croft adventure, I will post a report on the final Atlantis levels, and will definitely be looking at the ‘Unfinished Business’ expansion that is included in the PS5 version of the game.

But until then, here are a few more 1996/2024 captures from the Khamoon stages.

All screenshots were taken from ‘Tomb Raider Trilogy – Remastered’ on PlayStation 5.

The amazing Mega Plaza in Bangkok.

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I first heard about this place through YouTube videos, and as a result the Mega Plaza ended up high on my list of things-to-do when planning my trip to Thailand.

There is nothing like it in Australia – nor in most other countries – for this is an entire shopping mall dedicated to toys, collectibles and video games (both current and retro).

I would have taken a lot more photos and videos, but some of the vendors aren’t too keen on tourists snapping away and have large signs on display stating exactly that. As a result, I respected their wishes (for the most part).

I found plenty of ‘Star Wars’ action figures and merchandise – some authentic and very expensive – and others perhaps not so much…

The gaming stalls were quite impressive and covered almost every system and game title released over the past few decades. In other words, there is a good chance you will find whatever retro game or console you are looking for, but it all boils down to how much you are prepared to pay. To give you an example, I did take a couple of ‘forbidden’ photos of what these guys are selling – just to show you how far back they go.

The size of this place is outrageous – six levels featuring hundreds of shops and stalls crammed from one end to the other – with a decent food court on the top floor and a McDonald’s restaurant down at street level.

I could go on and on, but instead I will wrap things up by posting a few more photos.

The Mega Plaza is located in Bangkok’s Chinatown district – at the western end of Yaowarat Road to be precise – with the nearest train station being Sam Yot (Blue line) only a couple of blocks away.

Clever and artistic – or just bonkers?

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For those who do not know, a feature film was released in 1987 based upon the UK pop duo Pet Shop Boys – and the end product was fascinating to say the least.

Directed by Jack Bond and starring both members of the band, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, ‘It Couldn’t Happen Here’ is essentially a long music video with some truly bizarre sequences, weird characters and even stranger dialogue taking place in and around the constant playing of Pet Shop Boys songs.

This film is completely nuts, however various Thatcher-related allegory and other critiques of British society can be interpreted within the show’s gloomy imagery and themes.

As clever as this may be, I felt that the film was just ‘weird for the sake of being weird’ at times and often went overboard with the craziness – some of which could have been left out.

However, the one redeeming quality of this movie is the cinematography and surrealism, particularly when focusing less on the wacky characters and more on the wider settings and well-chosen locations. Most of the film was shot around Clacton-on-Sea on days when the weather was poor and the North Sea rather angry, and this added to the dreary, miserable tone that the filmmakers intended.

The Pet Shop Boys would have been experiencing near-peak popularity when this film was made, yet the project flopped and ended up being a box-office bomb.

I used to enjoy their music back in the day, but I wouldn’t have been too excited to see these guys star in their own movie – and perhaps this was the overall sentiment at the time.

One actor that people might recognise in this film is Joss Ackland – who played the creepy priest chasing two boys around at the beginning of the film, as well as the psycho hitchhiker – but I’m not sure if they are meant to be the same character.

Ackland is perhaps best-known for playing the villain Arjen Rudd in ‘Lethal Weapon II’.

If you are into strange, surreal art house films, and enjoy the music of the Pet Shop Boys, then perhaps ‘It Couldn’t Happen Here’ is worth checking out. However, this is a weird show – much like a Ken Russell movie – so it really is an acquired taste and being a fan of the band might not be enough to cut it here.

I should point out that ‘It Couldn’t Happen Here’ has a rating of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the surrealism and artistic direction are mentioned glowingly in many reviews on that site. I’m not sure about the high score, but I do agree with a lot of the positive comments there.

Overall, this is a very interesting film – but I would rate it somewhere around 50%.

On a final note, Jack Bond – who sadly passed away late last year – directed the music video for the Pet Shop Boys’ hit song ‘Heart’. This truly was a work of art – easily one of the best clips from the 1980’s – and starred Ian McKellen as a vampire out to spoil a young couples’ honeymoon. An absolute classic!

Link to the ‘Heart’ music video is below, courtesy of Pet Shop Boys YouTube channel.

Photos and screenshots courtesy of EMI Films.

Jeff Fenech v Samart Payakarun – A memorable chapter in Australian boxing history.

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On the 8th of May 1987, an eagerly-anticipated and much-hyped boxing match took place in Sydney, Australia.

The bout was for the WBC Super-Bantamweight title between the local fighter Jeff Fenech and the reigning champion Samart Payakarun (often spelled ‘Payakaroon’) from Thailand.

While Fenech was already a sporting hero in Australia – having come close to an Olympic medal in Los Angeles before turning pro and winning the IBF Bantamweight title a year later – his Thai opponent was highly regarded and most pundits had the Aussie as an underdog, despite the fight taking place in his hometown.

The fact that the event was held in Sydney and not Bangkok would indicate that somehow the Australian promoters were able to scrap together enough money to lure the Thai champion to fight outside of his own country. This is where the story became outrageous, because as soon as Payakarun was paid, he and his entire team placed a ‘double-or-nothing’ bet on him winning the fight. Not only that, but to appease the disappointed crowd come fight night, the Thai boxer was prepared to put on a Muay Thai kickboxing show following his victory – presumably after a defeated Fenech was stretchered out of the ring.

Samart Payakarun certainly did come into the fight with a reputation that preceded him, for he was the biggest star in Thai martial arts before turning to professional boxing. Since making the switch, his most impressive performance was a fifth round knockout of Mexican champion Lupe Pintor in a chaotic Bangkok stadium, claiming the WBC Super-Bantamweight title.

I remember there being reports at the time that Payakarun had been given the ‘Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year’ award – perhaps as a ploy by the promoters and local media to build-up the fight – but this was incorrect. Instead, the Thai had been awarded a far lesser accolade; something along the lines of an ’emerging talent’ recognition, following his upset win over Pintor. Either way, Payakarun had successfully defended his title twice and had been champion for over a year, so he meant business when he came to Sydney.

There was a large (and vocal) Thai contingent at the fight, and once Payakarun entered the ring he hardly took his eyes off Fenech, and this was clear when the two boxers received their final instructions from the referee.

The fight started with Fenech as the aggressor, with the Thai cleverly using his speed and reach advantage to keep out of trouble. Nearing the end of the first round, the Australian walked into a straight right from Payakarun and suffered a flash knockdown – but this would prove to be the champion’s only highlight of the bout.

From the second round onward it was all Jeff Fenech, as Payakarun struggled to keep a comfortable fighting distance, and slowly but surely ‘The Marrickville Mauler’ began to wear his opponent down.

To give credit to Payakarun – he came to fight and stood right in front of Fenech the entire time – but this would prove to be his undoing. After copping a great amount of punishment in the second and third rounds, the Thai would ultimately collapse into unconsciousness late in the fourth, handing Fenech his second world title.

There were stories after the fight claiming that a humiliated Payakarun returned to Thailand and became a monk. If this was true, then it did not happen immediately after losing to Fenech as the rumours suggested, for the Thai boxer returned to the ring two more times – winning both fights by knockout – before ‘retiring’ in early 1988.

Payakarun made a comeback five years later, culminating in a title fight for the WBA Featherweight belt where he was stopped in the eighth round. Following this, Samart Payakarun changed career paths entirely and became a successful singer and actor in Thailand.

To end the story on a friendlier note, the above photo was taken in 2013 when Fenech and Payakarun came face-to-face again – but on this occasion the Thai master was in Australia promoting a kickboxing event.

I should also point out that the legendary Gus Mercurio (facing the camera) was part of the Seven Sports commentary team – and was a brilliant boxing pundit – not to mention the father of Paul Mercurio from ‘Strictly Ballroom’ fame.

Jeff Fenech vs Samart Payakarun can be watched on YouTube, and there is a link below to the full fight – courtesy of Rewind YouTube channel.

Note: The fight starts at around 25 minutes into the video.

Photos courtesy of Seven Sport, Fox Sports and Rewind YouTube Channel.