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Ranking the greatest Thai boxers


BoztheMadman
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And, I saved the best for last. Well, this will probably not be my very last such thread, but among the last anyway. This nation has had a very special boxing history and has given a contribution to the sport that is impossible to overlook. Thai boxers were always known as the best technicians among the Asian/Oriental boxers, traditionally. And, ever since the 60's, Thailand has had quite a few outstanding boxers and world champions as well. Here are my 10 greatest Thai boxers:

 

1. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam

 

If you asked me or many other boxing fans 20 years ago who my/their number 1. pick is, the answer would probably be: Khaosai Galaxy or Veeraphol Sahaprom. However, since then, this guy has really built a resume that rightfully puts him at no.1. This little flyweight (rather tall for a flyweight at 5'4 however) is definitely one of the best ever in this division, perhaps the best even. Wonjongkam had it all, the skills, the punch, the speed and durability. He was stopped once early on and twice when he was in the twilight of his career. Wonjongkam won the title in a stunning way, stopping the WBC champion Malcolm Tunacao in 1 round in March 2001. He then went on to make 17 title defenses, which I believe is the division record still. He most notably beat Daisuke Naito in another 1st round ko (in 34 seconds!) in 2002, stopped the future world champion Luis Alberto Lazarte by TKO2 just before that, decisioned Hussein Hussein in 2003, became the first man to beat Koki Kameda by UD in 2010, thereby winning the WBC title for the second time after losing it to Naito in their third fight, on points, in 2007. He made four defenses in his second title reign and most notably beat Edgar Sosa by UD in 2011. He has in other words beaten everyone there was to beat. At almost 35, he lost the title in a shock upset when he was stopped by Sonny Boy Jaro by TKO6 in March 2012. In November that year, he would again get stopped by Rey Megrino, another Pinoy, by TKO3. He retired in 2013, after winning 3 fights, but came back once more in 2018, winning the interim Thai bantam title by UD8 against Manot Comput. His record is an amazing 91 wins, 47 by ko, 5 losses, 3 by ko, and 2 draws, among them one against Daisuke Naito, in their fourth and last fight. He has a 2-1-1 record in their fights. He will likely get inducted into IBHOF eventually, for he definitely deserves that.

 

2. Khaosai Galaxy

 

A phenomenal fighting force and a great puncher was Khaosai Galaxy, real name Sohla Saenghom. He was the twin brother of Khaokor, who was also a world champion, but unquestionably the greater of two was Khaosai. Like many other Thai boxers, he started out with Muay Thai before switching to boxing. He became a pro in 1980, at 21 years of age. Galaxy lost only one fight as a pro, in 1981, on points against Sak Galaxy. He then racked up 12 consecutive knockouts and was 24-1 when he faced Eusebio Espinal for the vacant WBA super fly title, which former champion Jiro Watanabe had vacated because he didn't want to fight Galaxy. It was 21 November '84 in Bangkok when Galaxy started his amazing championship reign by stopping Espinal by KO6. He made amazing 19 defenses, most notably stopping three-time world champ Elly Pical by TKO14, knocking out future world champ Israel Contreras, a fearsome puncher, in 5 rounds, stopping former IBF champ Chang Ho-Choi by TKO7 and stopping another former IBF champ, Tae Il Chang by KO2. He also beat Kongtoranee Payakaroon, brother of Samart, by UD12 in one of those defenses. Galaxy finally retired after beating Armando Castro on 22 December 1991, unbeaten as a champion. His record is 47 wins, 41 by ko, and that 1 loss which he curiously never avenged. In 1999, he was honored with an induction into the IBHOF. He is so far the only Thai to get that honor.

 

3. Veeraphol Sahaprom

 

Another fantastic little fighter was Sahaprom, one of the best bantams in history. He was an all-around fighter who could box and punch and was a true brawler with toughness. Amazingly, he won his first world title, WBA one, already in his fourth pro fight, beating the countryman Daorung Chuwatana by SD in September 1995. However, he lost it in his very first defense next January, when, after putting Nana Yaw Konadu on the canvas in the first round, he was himself down hard in the second and stopped at the end of that round. It took him some time to get back in contention and it was on 29 December '98 that he won the WBC title by KO6 against the famous Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, in Osaka. This time, he would make a staggering 15 defenses, beating Tatsuyoshi in the second defense again by TKO7, decisioning Toshiaki Nishioka twice and drawing with him twice as well, and stopping Julio Cesar Avila by TKO12. He was finally relieved of his title by the young Hozumi Hasegawa, who beat him by UD in Japan, April 2005. They had a rematch in March next year and this time Sahaprom was stopped for the second time in his career in 9 rounds, after being caught by a hard right hook and knocked out. Sahaprom was 37 by then and it was clear his prime was over. In 2007, he won the WBC Asian Boxing Council title but was stopped in the WBC eliminator next year against Vusi Malinga, by TKO4. He retired in 2010, after winning 6 more fights. His record is 66 wins, 46 by ko, 4 losses, 3 by ko, and 2 draws.

 

4. Pone Kingpetch

 

The first Thai world champion, Kingpetch has won world titles at flyweight four times and has defeated guys like Fighting Harada, Hiroyuki Ebihara and Pascual Perez. Tho he had a rather short career, only 35 fights, which was for a Thai and a fighter of that time not a lot, his career was very successful, even tho he also experienced a few devastating losses. Kingpetch was a guy who never gave up and came back from two devastating losses to Harada and Ebihara and avenged them both, recapturing world titles both times. He was a technician who had some pop in his fists but never a true puncher. He was at nearly 5'7 very tall for a flyweight, which gave him an advantage of course, as most flyweights were not over 5'3 back then or now. Kingpetch was born in 1935 and started fighting pro in 1954, losing a couple of early fights before coming into his own. On 16 April 1960, he achieved history by beating the famous Argentinian world champion Pascual Perez by SD15 in Bangkok. They had a rematch in September, this time in Los Angeles and Kingpetch impressively stopped Perez by TKO8. He then defended for the second time against future featherweight contender Mitsunori Seki and though he by all accounts won clearly, one judge scored it for the home challenger in Kokugikan, Japan. He again went to Kokugikan to make his third defense by UD against Kyo Noguchi, before losing the title by KO11 to the Japanese legend Fighting Harada, 10 October '62 in Kokugikan. They had a rematch on 12 January, this time in Bangkok, and Kingpetch recaptured his world title by an uneven MD15. He would however have to defend away in Japan again and lost by a devastating KO1 to Hiroyuki Ebihara, 18 September that year. However, he once again avenged the loss and recaptured the title by SD15 over Ebihara in the rematch in Bangkok, 23 January '64. He didn't fight for over a year when he lost the title in his first defense to Salvatore Burruni, away in Italy, by UD15. He retired in 1966, with a record of 28 wins, 9 by ko, and 7 losses, 3 by ko.

 

5. Muangchai Kittikasem

 

Probably the best light flyweight to come from Thailand. Kittikasem won the IBF light flyweight and IBF flyweight titles during his career, but his bane turned out to be Yuri Arbachakov, whom he just couldn't beat. He is also famous for ending the career of the great Korean Jung Koo Chang, whom he stopped by TKO12 in 1991. But before that, Kittikasem turned pro in 1988 and in his seventh fight won the IBF light fly title by SD against Tacy Macalos in Bangkok, May 1989. He then stopped the Pinoy in the rematch by TKO7. He would make two more successful defenses, first stopping the weak challenger Jeung-Jae Lee by TKO3 and then decisioning the Indonesian Abdi Pohan by UD. He went to the States for the first time to defend against Michael Carbajal, who would become perhaps the greatest light flyweight in history. The fight was in Carbajal's hometown Phoenix, 29 July '90. Unfortunately, Kittikasem struggled to make the weight and came in possibly over the limit. He wobbled Carbajal in the second round with a left hand but in round 4 his eyes began to mark up and he was down from a left hook-right hand combination. After rising, he was down again shortly thereafter and then again in round 6 and round 7 before the fight was stopped. After this debacle, he went up to flyweight and after winning two easy fights by ko, he was given a chance to win the IBF title there against Sot Chitalada, another Thai. Kittikasem put him down in rounds 1 and 4, before stopping him against the ropes in round 6. He then had the legendary fight against Jung-Koo Chang in his first defense and after being down three times, he came back and stopped the older man in the 12th by knocking him down twice after first catching him flush with a huge left hook. He made two more defenses, first by decisioning Alberto Jimenez by majority decision, and then again stopping Chitalada by TKO9, in February '92. He lost his title in June that year, fighting the Japanese-based Russian Yuri Arbachakov in Japan, which was unfair. Kittikasem was down at the end of the first round, but came back to put Arbachakov down in the third, before again being put down at the end of that round. He was knocked out cold in round 8 with a perfectly timed right hand. That was the end of his prime. He fought Arbachakov again in March next year and was stopped by TKO9. He retired in 1999, after getting stopped by a corner retirement in 4 against Shigeru Nakazato. His record is 25 wins, 17 by ko and 4 losses, all by ko.

 

 

 

6. Chartchai Chionoi

 

Another guy who was a four-time world fly champion. Chionoi was the second world boxing champion from Thailand as well. He first won the world title on 30 December '66, stopping the Scottish Walter McGowan by TKO9. Chionoi was a fearsome warrior who was famous for his brutal fights and could hit as well. In the first defense, he again stopped McGowan, this time by TKO7. On 28 January '68, he went to Mexico City to fight Efren Torres in one of the most brutal and exciting fights in that division's history. Both fighters were drenched in blood before Chionoi won by TKO13 after a doctor stopped the fight. He made one more successful defense by decisioning Bernabe Villacampo of the Philippines, before fighting Torres again on 23 February '69, again in Mexico City. This time, it was Chionoi who came off worse and was stopped by the doctor after 8 rounds, because his left eye had swollen shut. On 20 March next year, they had their third fight, this time in Bangkok, and Chionoi won by UD15 to once again become the world champ. He however lost his title in a shock upset in his very first defense, when he was blown away in 2 rounds by unheralded Erbito Salavarria after being down three times in the second round. He took some time off from big fights before returning in January '73 and fighting Masao Oba for the WBA title in Tokyo. It was a great fight where Chionoi nearly stopped Oba in the first round, but Oba came back and in the end scored a TKO12-stoppage. After Oba was killed in an auto accident soon thereafter, Chionoi got to fight for the title again and beat Fritz Chervet by RTD4 to win it for the fourth and last time, 17 May that year. He defended it twice, first by UD agaisnt Susumu Hanagata and then in a rematch with Chervet by SD, before losing it to Hanagata by KO6 in October '74. He retired after being stopped by Rodolfo Francis in August 1975. His record is 61 wins, 36 by ko, 18 losses and 3 draws.

 

7. Sot Chitalada

 

Another outstanding flyweight, Chitalada was a two-time WBC champion and beat some of the best flyweights of his era. He first fought for the WBC light fly title in his fifth pro fight, in March 1984, against legend Jung Koo-Chang and lost by a rather close UD. He then won the WBC fly title in his eight fight, winning by SD against Gabriel Bernal, then-champion. That was in October '84 and next year he went to England to beat Charlie Magri by a corner retirement in 4. He made 6 successful defenses in his first reign and also beat Bernal by UD and drew against him as well in two of them. He lost the title in July 1988 against the 16-0 Yong Kang Kim, by UD in South Korea. He recaptured the title in the rematch in June 1989, with a split decision in Bangkok. He then made 4 defenses and in the last one avenged the loss to Jung Koo-Kang by MD, fighting away in Seoul. He finally lost his title in 1991 to Muangchai Kittikasem, who stopped him by TKO6 (already mentioned in detail). He tried to recapture the title next year in February but was stopped by TKO9. He retired after that, with a record of 26 wins, 16 by ko, 4 losses and 1 draw.

 

8. Khaokor Galaxy

 

The twin brother of Khaosai was less accomplished than his brother, but still won the WBA bantam title twice and defeated Wilfredo Vazquez sr and Sung Kil Moon. Khaokor turned pro in 1985 and in May 1988 he beat Vazquez by SD to win the WBA title and thus he and his brother became the first twins to simultaneously hold world titles. However, already in his first defense, he lost by technical decision to Sung Kil Moon, fighting away in Seoul. Moon was unable to continue after being accidentally butted and won by a point on two of the scorecards. Khaokor then scored 5 knockouts before fighting Moon again in July '89 in Bangkok and like with his countrymen before him, it proved lucky for he put Moon down twice and won by a shotout decision victory. However, already 3 months later, he lost the title in a very strange way, against the young up and comer Luisito Espinosa. He was hit by a left hook in round 1 and then collapsed after about twenty seconds. There were rumors of fixing but it was unlikely due to the fact that Espinosa was not very well known and the fight was in Bangkok. Galaxy retired after this bizzarre loss, with a record of 24 wins, 19 by ko, and 2 losses.

 

9. Chatchai Sasakul

 

The man who ended Yuri Arbachakov's career, thus avenging the losses of his countryman Kittikasem. Sasakul was a skilled boxer who was also very durable and was only stopped by Manny Pacquiao and at the end of his career Cristian Mijares. He competed at the 1988 Olympics as a light fly and came to the quarterfinal where he lost 2-3 on points. He became a pro in 1991 and went 20-0 before challenging Arbachakov for his WBC fly title in September 1995. He lost by UD but gave a good account of himself. In May 1997, he won the interim WBC title by UD against Ysaias Zamudio and then stopped future world champion Juan Domingo Cordoba by RTD7 in a defense of it. He faced Arbachakov again for the full title in November that same year. Arbachakov was 23-0 and seemed unbeatable, but Sasakul would prove to be his Kryptonite as he got the better of him and won by unanimous decision in Sapporo, Japan. It was Arbachakov's last fight. He made one successful defense by UD against Young Jin Kim and then on 4 December '98 he faced Manny Pacquiao, 23-1 at the time. Sasakul was ahead on all three cards going into round 8, when he was knocked out. His career never recovered from that, but he kept on fighting and won many fights before fighting his last world title bout in 2008, against the WBC and WBA super fly champion Cristian Mijares, in Monterey, Mexico. Sasakul was down in the second and third round before the fight ended at 1:05 of the third. He had one more fight later that year before hanging them up. His record is 63 wins, 38 by ko, with 4 losses and 1 draw.

 

10. Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym

 

Or Prakorb Udomna, which is his real name. ;-) One of the best Thai boxers in this century, after Wonjongkam the best of his era. He has only lost twice in 50 pro fights. He has beaten former world champions Somsak Sitchchatchawal (TKO11), Ricardo Cordoba (SD12), Leo Gamez (UD12) and Bernard Dunne (KO3). Udomna first won the interim WBA bantam title against Cordoba in August 2005 and defended it against Gamez in December. He lost to Volodymyr Sidorenko in a fight for the full title by UD in July 2006 in Germany. He beat Sitchatchawal in a WBA super bantam eliminator in 2008. In April 2009, he stopped Rafael Hernandez by TKO9 to again win the interim WBA title at 122, before going to Dublin to shock everyone and knocking out Dunne to win the full title in September. He defended it against the excellent Satoshi Hosono by MD and then against Shoji Kimura by KO4. He lost the title in an upset against Ryol Li Lee, by a mostly close UD in Japan, 2 October 2010. He has also won the PABA titles at both weights. He retired after his fight against Danilo Pena on 18 September 2012, after his scheduled fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux was cancelled after Udomna tested positive for a blood disorder. It forced him to retire, with a record of 48 wins, 33 by ko, and only 2 losses.

 

11. Saman Sorjaturong

 

Another contender for the title of best light flyweight from Thailand, Sorjaturong holds a win over one of two greatest in that division: Humberto "Chiquita" Gonzalez. However, after making ten successful defenses of the title he took from Gonzalez, the WBC one, his career would unravel after losing to Yo Sam Choi, first by UD and then by KO7. He ended his record with 8 losses, 2 of them to Choi and 4 of them after that. Sorjaturong was a durable and hard-hitting warrior who first fought Ricardo "Finito" Lopez for the WBC minimumweight title in 1993 and was blown out in 2 rounds by the hall of famer. The fight had definitely come too soon for him, but after he moved up to light flyweight, his golden era would begin. In July 1995, he faced Gonzalez and stopped him by TKO7 after coming off the canvas twice, in Inglewood, California. In his next fight, he also won the IBF belt against contender Yuichi Hosono by KO4, but vacated it soon thereafter. He beat the future WBA minimum champion Joma Gamboa by TKO7 and multiple world title challenger Shiro Yahiro he stopped twice. Sorjaturong ended his career with 46 wins, 34 by ko, 8 losses and 1 draw.

 

12. Sirimongkol Singwancha

 

Singwancha has had a very long career, but, despite winning two world titles at two different weights, he hasn't been in that many world title bouts. Large part of his latter career was spent fighting mostly low-key fights. He reportedly started his career at light fly and ended it at light heavy! Singwancha first won the WBU super fly title by UD against Juanito Cuma in August 1995 and then vacated it to fight for the bantam version of the title. He won it also by UD against Miguel Espinoza and made one defense of it. He then fought for the interim WBC tite against famed contender Jose Luis Bueno and stopped him by TKO5 in August 1996. He finally won the full title in February next year against Jesus Sarabia by UD. He knocked out Jesus Campanario in 4 and beat Victor Rabanales by UD in his first two defenses, before losing the title to Joichiro Tatsuyoshi by way of TKO7, in November that same year. After that he would fight MANY low key fights, before finally returning to world title bouts in 2002 and winning the WBC super feather title by KO2 against Kengo Nagashima. In January 2003, he defended the title by UD against Yong Soo Choi, who held the WBA title previously for 3 years. He lost the title to Jesus Chavez by UD, fighting in Austin, Texas, in August of that year. In 2005, he fought in a WBC lightweight eliminator and beat Michael Clark (of Contender) by TKO7, but never got a title shot for some reason. In 2007 he won the vacant PABA super light title by UD against Arnel Porras. Singwancha is one of the very few fighters to have started his career in the 90's, that is still active! His last fight was in 2019 and his record is currently 97 wins with 62 ko's and only 4 losses, 1 by ko.

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Kingpetch is a weird one, historically he's really important and his best wins are better than most...but those losses, regularly, during his pomp need to be marked against him as does some questionable officiating

 

Ratanapol Sor Vorapin deserves a mention, I'd also maybe find a way to put Srisaket in there (3 HUGE wins that would match anyone)

 

Yodsanan 3-K Battery always seems to get massively over-looked.

 

Chana Porpaoin, Saman Sorjaturong and Sirimongkol Singwancha deserves an honourable mention. Think we often forget JUST how good Thai boxing has been over the years.

 

Not going to do my own top 10 (as there's plenty of over-lap with yours), think we agree on the first 3, then a change of order for some of the others, and I'd probably remove one or two of yours for Sirimongkol and Srisaket

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Kingpetch is a weird one, historically he's really important and his best wins are better than most...but those losses, regularly, during his pomp need to be marked against him as does some questionable officiating

 

Ratanapol Sor Vorapin deserves a mention, I'd also maybe find a way to put Srisaket in there (3 HUGE wins that would match anyone)

 

Yodsanan 3-K Battery always seems to get massively over-looked.

 

Chana Porpaoin, Saman Sorjaturong and Sirimongkol Singwancha deserves an honourable mention. Think we often forget JUST how good Thai boxing has been over the years.

 

Not going to do my own top 10 (as there's plenty of over-lap with yours), think we agree on the first 3, then a change of order for some of the others, and I'd probably remove one or two of yours for Sirimongkol and Srisaket

 

Yes, I forgot about Sorjaturong! I'd probably ranked him at no.10.

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