IN CONVERSATION WITH ‘BAMBI’

interview by MAREK BARTEK

Bampara Kouyate, known as Bambi, is a renowned Muay Thai Champion and model. He began his journey in Muay Thai at the age of 14, inspired by the blockbuster martial arts movie Ong Bak. Now 29 years old, Bambi has achieved an impressive record of 37 fights with 35 wins and has secured multiple championship belts, including the French and European Champion titles. On July 5th, Bambi will compete in the One Championship, Asia’s largest combat sports organisation, against USA’s Luke Lessei. Alongside his successful fighting career, Bambi also is also a successful model who worked with some of the most prestigious fashion houses, such as Louis Vuitton, Versace, Burberry and Moschino.

Bambi, you have successfully balanced careers in both modelling and Muay Thai. How do you manage the physical demands and time commitments of these two very distinct professions?
I do indeed live a very intense life – in a positive way, of course. Balancing both requires a lot of work and discipline, asmy life is split between training, fights, travels, shoots, and my family. It’s not always easy, but I really love it. I live mylife to the fullest.

Can you tell us more about what inspired you to pursue both modelling and Muay Thai? Did one passion come before the other, or did they develop simultaneously?
What inspires me is breaking codes, and paving new roads. Seeing that I’m becoming a source of motivation andinspiration for others, as well. It’s such a rewarding feeling to know people look up to your work, especially futuregenerations.
My passion for and career in martial arts started as a kid, way before fashion.
Being a boxer has allowed me to approach the fashion industry with much more confidence.

Your debut at a Versace show in 2019 was a significant moment in your modelling career. How did that opportunity come about, and how did it feel to step onto a runway of such an iconic house?
This day will forever stay unforgettable for me. My first show in the industry started with a direct booking for Versace, forwhich I wore Muay Thai shorts. It happened by chance. I was in a casting in Paris with DM Casting, and a member of the team recognised me and shouted “Ah, that’s Bambi, the boxer!” The head of the team took me aside, Piergiorgio (Del Moro)took my photos and two days later, my agency told me Versace wanted to see me in Milan.
It was a lot of pressure because at the time I didn’t know much about the fashion industry, and all of a sudden, I was walkingalongside a star filled cast! I’m a bit of a perfectionist in general, so I was a bit stressed. But I was thrilled to be there, and to beable to represent my art (Muay Thai) on a global fashion stage.

You’ve poetically described your fighting style, comparing each strike to a brushstroke on a canvas. Can you elaborate on how this philosophy influences your approach in the ring?
To me, Muay Thai is an art before being a combat sport. Sure, there is violence, but it is artistic nonetheless. It’s so charismatic,visually aesthetic and elegant. Qualifying it as just a sport wouldn’t be doing it justice. I try to embody this philosophythroughout my fights, by being precise in my movements, dodges, and overall gestures. I want people to enjoy the beauty ofthe fight – not just the violence. I want them to be rapt with wonder.

Training for Muay Thai at an elite level must be incredibly demanding. What does a typical training day look like for you, and how do you stay motivated to maintain such a rigorous schedule?
An average training day means two trainings. First, in the morning, when we generally do strength training and cardio, and inthe evening, we work technique, technical-tactical, with punching bags or boxing pads. Do what you love, and mostimportantly, love what you do. This quote makes perfect sense when you’re a high performing athlete. Without passion, wewouldn’t be able to withstand so much rigour, pressure and risk. I’m driven by success. I want to accomplish all the goals I haveset for myself, to be proud of myself, and to make my family and closed ones proud. And inspire others by (figuratively) breaking more doors.

Growing up in France with Malian heritage and training in Thailand must have exposed you to diverse cultural influences. How have these experiences shaped you as both a fighter and a person?
I feel very blessed. I get to travel and continuously learn new things, try new foods and experiences, and meet different people.It has opened my mind to a lot of things. Traveling has really been one of the greatest gifts both my careers have given me. I’vemet so many friends through it. As a fighter, Thailand has taught me so much about my boxing. Being able to train in thesports’ birthing place has given me further context about its values and the culture surrounding it.

After a competitive decision loss in your first promotional appearance last October, how do you mentally and physically prepare for your upcoming fight against Luke ‘The Chef’ Lessei?
I learned so much from that loss – not just as an athlete, but as a person, and personal aspects I needed to work on. Yourlearn a lot through defeat. That leaf has been turned. The fight against Luke is a new page. Mentally and physically, I feelgreat. The preparation is very intense. We are finishing the last few days and doing the last adjustments in Thailand; we’veadapted to the One Championship format, which is different from classic Muay Thai in that there are MMA gloves.

You’ve previously mentioned that your intelligence is your greatest asset in the ring, especially since you had to rely on technique early in your career. Can you share some specific strategies or techniques that have been pivotal in your success?
I approach the game as an artist, but I play it like chess. I love using “esquives remises” (dodge, hit ?). My greateststrength are my legs, which got me nicknamed Firelek. My speed as well. I love making my opponent lose hisbalance, and play with him, while hurting him, of course.

Being a sought-after model, have you noticed any particular skills or experiences from the fashion industry that have benefited your Muay Thai career, or vice versa?
I would say Muay Thai helped me with fashion. Muay Thai has been in my life for much longer so I’ve spent much more time on it. It gave me confidence I need, to feel comfortable in front of the camera or on the runway. It’s the same aswalking to the ring. I could be a boxer only, but I couldn’t just be a model.

With titles like the French, European, and World Amateur Champion, and the recent WMC World Muay ThaiChampion title, what are your next big goals in both your fighting and modelling careers?
Go as far as possible, win more belts. Victory is addictive. I would love to do more campaigns, push boundaries, continue to inspire, and above all, be happy. There are no limits aside from those we set for ourselves. I want to solidifymy story, leave a mark, and be remembered as a good person.

talent BAMPARA ‘BAMBI’ KOUYATE at MEN MODEL MGMT
model ADIT PRISCILLA at PREMIUM MODELS
photographer FABIEN MONTIQUE at HOME AGENCY
stylist GABRIELLA NORBERG
hair DALIBOR VRTINA @BALMAINHAIR
makeup THOMAS LORENZ at BY JANE KATE using @MACCOSMETICS
nails CHRISTINE PHO
casting REMI FELIPE
production JONAS FARRO
lighting PHILIP SKOCZKOWSKI
styling assistant LIA CHANTURIA
image consultant BILLEL BENSALEM
editor TIMI LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN