Response to Ken Hissner, Best Thai Pro Boxers
Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In response to my comrade in boxing, Ken Hissner of Seconds Out, this reporter proposes his list of the best professional boxers to come out of Thailand. No records are padded on this list per se. Rather, the list is meant to highlights some of the best Thai boxers in the modern era. Some of these boxers are legitimately great. Many of the great Thai boxers were also practitioners of Muay Thai, in actuality the predecessors the modern Thai MMA and pro boxing Hybrid. From Kimbo Slice to Conor McGregor to Anderson Silva, MMA fighters have also boxed in both worlds.
Number One: Samart Payakaroon, 21-2 with 12 knockouts, Pattaya, Thailand. A southpaw super bantamweight from 1982 to 1994, Payakaroon defeated lupe Pintor and Juan Meza in WBC World Super Bantamweight title bout, but lost his WBC belt to Australia’s Jeff Fenech. After seven comeback wins, Payakaroon was unsuccessful in a bid to win the WBA WOlrd Featherweight title from Eloy Rojas of Venezuela.
Southpaw super flyweight Khaosai Galaxy, 47-1 with 41 knockouts, Bangkok, Thailand, fought between 1980 and 1991, winning 20 consecutive WBA World Super Flyweight title bouts. Given, this division is still not of great significance and interest.
Pone Kingpetch, 28-7 with nine knockouts, Hua Hin, Thailand, fought at flyweight between 1954 and 1966, figured into nine world flyweight title bouts, winning six and losing three.
Saensak Muangsurin, Bangkok, Thailand, fighting between 1974 and 1981, won the WBC World Super Lightweight title in his third professional bout! Muangsurin figured into 10 consecutive WBC world super lightweight title bouts, winning 10 and losing two. Final record 16-6 with eleven knockouts.
Other former world champions from Thailand deserving respect include Chartchai Chionoi, Burlek Chawanchay, Venice Borkhorsor, Netrnoi Sor Vorasingh, Payao Poontarat, Sot Chitalada, Sirimongkol Singwangcha, Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai, Eagle Kyowa, and Samat Sitnarukorn. The best Thai boxers today are Panya Pradabsri, Wisaksil Wangek, and Chayaphon Moonsri. Most Thai boxers come from an MMA / Muay Thai background, as opposed to amateur boxing, by virtue of culture and geographic location.
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