The sport was codified in Cambodia by the French colonial administration in the early 20th century, and was derived from centuries-old traditions, namely Bokator , the close-quarter combat system used during the Khmer empire.
Kun Khmer is most well-known for its kicking and elbows technique, which generates power from hip rotation rather than snapping the leg. Kun Khmer consists of four types of strikes: punches, kicks, elbows, and knee strikes. In the clinch, opponents battle for the dominant position for short range strikes by way of elbows and knees. Cambodian fighters tend to utilize more elbow strikes than that of other martial arts in the region. Kun Khmer developed from the ancient Khmer martial arts, now commonly referred to as Bokator.
Dating back to the 1st century AD, [ 8 ] the martial arts in Cambodia are deeply rooted in the country's history, and are depicted in the various bas-reliefs of the Angkor period. During the early 20th century, the local martial traditions were codified by the French administration , giving birth to Pradal Serey, now more widely known as Kun Khmer. Boxing matches were originally fought in dirt pits with limited rules, while hands were wrapped in rope.
Fighters in Battambang province , during the early 20th century, utilized glove-like knuckle dusters made from shells to inflict injuries on their opponents in kickboxing matches. During the bout, a stretcher to carry out the dead was brought in; it was kept there in case a boxer died. The winner received a prize from the committee. The boxers did not use gloves to protect from injury, they just wrapped silk thread around their fists.
On their arms they tied katei - magical plants wrapped in red pieces of cloth that would cause their opponent to see multiple images of their body in the ring. They were great boxers. The introduction of boxing rings , rounds, and gloves , as well as the prohibition of life-threatening techniques, transformed the local martial arts into a sport. With those new sets of rules, French and Khmer boxers would compete against each other in tournaments.
