Dutchman’s dream: Muay Thai world champ from RP

Dr. Geoffrey van Es is a man of many talents, skills and dreams. The Dutchman is an accomplished neuropsychologist from the University of Utrecht, a rock guitarist who has performed in concerts with 25 different bands, a former European supermiddleweight kickboxing champion, a world traveler with references in 15 countries and an astute businessman.

Four years ago, van Es decided to settle in Manila with Filipina wife Lilia Arza of Isabela. Now, they are parents of a pretty three-year-old daughter Elea and manage a company called Galaxis that is involved in events, imports and exports and human resource development.

A project that van Es considers a priority is opening a gym where he can teach kickboxing, boxing and aerobics. He has zeroed in on a 1,000-square meter warehouse, formerly a badminton center, on Katipunan Avenue and plans to turn it into a fitness haven.

Late next month, Galaxis is staging a Muay Thai card at the Cuneta Astrodome and van Es said it will feature crack Filipino fighters whom he hopes someday to become world champions. The card was initially scheduled for tomorrow but had to be postponed with the Thai fighters stranded in Bangkok due to the military coup.

"My dream is to produce a Filipino Muay Thai world champion and I know it can be done in two years," said van Es, 48. "After living in several countries all over the world, I’ve decided to live in the Philippines with my wife and our daughter. I’ve sold all my belongings in Holland. What I’ve learned in the past, I want to teach here."

The youngest of seven children, van Es was a troubled teenager in the Rotterdam slums where he stole for food and battled violent gangs roaming the dark dockside streets. He was kicked out of home by his mother and owed his survival to lessons he learned from his father who was a whale hunter.

When he was nine, van Es was introduced to shaolin kem-po and became an ardent martial arts practitioner.

In the 1970s, Muay Thai invaded Holland and the Dutch embraced it as the most complete of all martial arts, comprising boxing, kicks, elbow and knee strikes, close-range fighting and throwing. Several Dutch fighters emerged as Muay Thai champions, among them Ramon Dekker, Rob Kaman, Lucien Carbin and Andre Brilleman.

Van Es took to Muay Thai easily and for seven years up to 1988, fought as a pro and operated the Kamak Gym in Rotterdam. Some 100 enthusiasts used to train daily in his gym and van Es managed 25 to 30 fighters in his stable. Van Es even went to Los Angeles to learn the tricks of the trade from Benny (The Jet) Urquides, a retired undefeated kickboxing champion.

Fighting took a heavy toll on van Es who described the Muay Thai bouts as murderous. At first, the matches were for eight rounds at three minutes each, later reduced to five rounds with two-minute breaks.

When not in the ring, van Es found time to play guitar as a session man for rock bands and reach out to solve children’s behavioral problems dealing with stress, assertiveness, anxiety, eating disorders and domestic and marital difficulties. He was also a university lecturer in psychology.

Braiding his expertise in neuropsychology, Muay Thai and music is a consuming passion for van Es.

In Manila, van Es organized the Universal Muay Thai Council of the Philippines (UMPTCP) which is affiliated with the World Muay Thai Council and sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board. UMTCP is the local governing body for pro Muay Thai fighters.

Through Galaxis, van Es is determined to promote the Muay Thai careers of Southeast Asian Games finweight gold medallist Rolando Claro and bantamweight silver medalist Brent Velasco, featherweight Zaide Larma, lightweight Reynold Transmonte and national team mainstays Armando Daligdig, Ruben Sumido and Billy Alumno.

The Filipino Muay Thai fighters will see action in next month’s card headlined by the battle between Arslan Magmedemov of Russia and Wanlop Sitpholek of Thailand for the world middleweight title.