Hippy Singmanee

Hippy Singmanee (ฮิปปี้ สิงห์มณี) is a Thai former Muay Thai fighter.

He was a three-time Lumpinee Stadium champion in the lighter weight classes shortly before and during the Muay Thai golden era.

He is often heralded by other elite fighters as one of the greatest fighters in Muay Thai history, praised for defeating opponents from higher weight classes as well as combining power with technique in his fighting style.

Hippy was born into a poor family of 4 brothers and 4 sisters.

Initially, he did not compete in Muay Thai matches and only performed the Wai kru pre-fight ceremonies.

He would let his hair grow and only cut it when it became too long, hence people started calling him "hippie."

It would later become his ring name (although it is more often anglicized as "Hippy").

At 10-years-old he began training in Muay Thai in his father's camp, the famous Singmanee gym, alongside his brothers Thungsong and Kompayak.

Hippy had his first fight several months later, knocking out his opponent in the 3rd round.

As a child, Hippy would become a star fighter in the southern Thailand fighting scene, winning multiple regional titles.

His younger brother Kompayak Singmanee also became a notable stadium champion.

Before fighting in Bangkok, Hippy encountered various skilled opponents in popular southern fighting venues including the Rangsit and Samrong stadiums.

At 15-years-old, Hippy made his Bangkok debut by fighting Chatchai Sasakul in 1982.

As Hippy had a highly successful run beforehand, he believed that Sasakul was an easy matchup.

He proved to be a difficult opponent, with Hippy himself citing that Sasakul was always moving around the ring akin to "teleportations."

They drew, but Hippy believed that Sasakul should've won.

After Hippy adjusted his fighting style to beat Sasakul in the rematch, as well as beating "The Angel Twins" Boonlong and Boonlai Sor.Thanikul, the Thai audiences took notice to Hippy's skill.

Around this time he would be picked up by the famous Onesongchai promotion.

Hippy was a powerful Muay Femur or rope-a-dope fighter who specialized in head kicks and elbows.

While most Muay Femur fighters prefer to strike in order to control their opponents, Hippy also preferred to hurt his opponents as much as he could, utilizing a unique kicking style to generate more power and using elbows that often cut his opponent's faces open.

Hippy's favorite technique was head kicking which he often used to earn KO victories or knockdowns.

Any non-powerful strike Hippy threw served as intimidation so he could pressure forward, something that Hippy also excelled at on top of being a Muay Femur.

Near the end of a round, when fighters begin to tire, Hippy would take advantage of his opponent's exhaustion by using more head kicks to try to KO his opponent or resort to a knee exchange in clinches.

Similar to Saenklai Sit Kru Od, while Hippy was a rope-a-dope fighter he would also brawl with his opponents as needed.

Hippy earned the prestigious Lumpinee Stadium Mini Flyweight title (104 lbs, later changed to 105 lbs) in 1986 and successfully defended it against "The Top Master" Karuhat Sor.Supawan.

In a 2023 interview, Hippy admitted that at around this time his fame and success grew to the point that he became overconfident with himself, stopped training frequently, and began underestimating his opponents.

Because of this Hippy would suffer his first two KO losses back-to-back against Langsuan Panyuthaphum and Maewpa Sun Miskawan, causing him to be stripped of his 105 lbs title.

Hippy's prime lasted from 1987 to 1992.

During that time he was considered the greatest fighter in the 105-108 lbs divisions, going so far as to win the Lumpinee Junior Flyweight title (108 lbs) against Karuhat Sor.Supawan and defending it against "The Ring Genius" Namkabuan Nongkeepahuyuth.

For winning a fight against his most difficult opponent "The Death Mask" Veerapol Sahaprom, Hippy received 120,000 baht, the highest purse of his career which was also in the range of purses that were given to yodmuay (top fighters) at the time.

Hippy admitted that he started declining as his physical condition began to worsen after his prime (1987-1992).

Despite this, he was still able to secure victories against Chaiyai Sitkaruhat and Sot Luknongyangtoi, among others.

Hippy had his final Muay Thai fight against Laemsing Por.Nitiwat wherein he lost by decision.

He was matched up against Burklerk Pinsinchai but they did not fight.

Hippy's successful championship fights against Karuhat Sor.Supawan and Saeksan Sitjomthong were considered his best fights.

Hippy reclaimed the title via elbow KO in the widely anticipated card featuring the boxing match between Khaosai Galaxy and Kongthoranee Payakaroon in 1988 which perpetuated his popularity.

Hippy laughs about his KO losses decades later and warned younger fighters to always stay disciplined.

He would be labeled by the Muay Siam magazine as "The South's Finest Fighter" and "The Genius of the South."

In 1989, French fighter Jaid Seddak fought Hippy for the 53 kg Muay Thai World title.

Although Hippy won, the two fighters became friends afterward.