Thursday May 31st will see one of Tiger’s top veteran fighters, Chris Moir compete in the prestigious 2012 Toyota Marathon. The Chon Buri tournament is a single elimination, one-day event with the winner pocketing a 300,000 baht cash prize. It’s a tournament that Chris has been vigorously preparing for at Tiger Muay Thai & MMA Phuket.

“Over the past three weeks I have increased my training to twice a day so I don’t get stale. It’s going really well,” says Moir. “I’ve been running everyday and my cardio is good. I’m trying to be mentally tough and push myself. It’s a sport so it’s going to be a fun challenge but at the same time – it’s serious.”

Chris first arrived in Thailand in 2007 and a just a few years later, he found himself hitting the pads at Tiger. Prior to training at Tiger, Chris had been teaching and training in his native Calgary for over nine years under the wing of Contender Asia star, Kru Trevor Smandych. With over thirty fights in the bag, 29 year old Chris sees his experience as a key factor in winning the tournament.

“Personally, I’m bringing a lot of experience. I’ve been living in Thailand for nearly three years now. I think I am decently well-rounded and strong for the weight class.”

The tournament will feature eight fighters from across the globe. With fighters emanating from the likes of Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, Kenya and Iran, Chris is well aware of the high standards he faces in the ring and knows what it takes to progress through the tournament.

“The standard is good. The fighters who have been invited to this tournament are not beginners. At this level, everybody has well-rounded strengths. I think it’s going to come down to conditioning and how much punishment any one person can take over the course of the day. The best plan of action is to take as little damage as possible early on. If you get through to the final, you could have potentially fought eleven rounds in one day – That’s why they call it a ‘Marathon’.”

The 2012 Toyota Marathon takes place on Thursday, May 31st and can be seen on Thai Channel 7 from 2pm.