Now a world champion, soon a legend

By Lerpong Amsa-ngiam 
The Nation

 

 

Up there with Marciano, chasing down Mayweather: meet Wanheng Menayothin

 

The man widely regarded as the greatest boxer of the 21st Century has been in Thailand the last few days.

 

Floyd Mayweather is living it up, being paid $3m in return for travelling around the world and posing for social media photos. 

 

Most recently he was seen standing tall on an elephant in Phuket and cruising around one of the island’s beaches. “I Don’t Know About Y’all, But I’m Living!!!” he beamed excitedly to his Instagram followers.

 

And well he might enjoy the good life. It is holiday season after all. For Mayweather and his fellow Americans, Thanksgiving is not long gone and for everyone else Christmas is about to come. Thailand’s tourist season is already in full swing.

 

It is also quite ironic that the great Mayweather is sunning himself in these parts for another man, nowhere near as famous, is tucked away in Issan, working feverishly to earn himself the right to be mentioned in the same breath as the American.

 

 

Wanheng Menayothin is also a world boxing champion, the WBC mini-flyweight belt holder, and is already tied with the legendary undefeated world heavyweight champion from the 1950s, Rocky Marciano, with 49 wins out of 49.

 

One more and he will match Mayweather’s world record of 50 straight wins. Then, surely, the world will know all about him.

 

Last month this 32-year-old from Maha Sarakham secured his 49th match win following a unanimous 3-0 points decision over Japanese challenger Tatsuya Fukuhara in Nakhon Ratchasima. 

 

It was the eight successive title defence for Wanheng, who was named the year’s best in the minimumweight (aka strawweight or mini flyweight, (105 lb, 47.6 kg) division by the Ring magazine, the prestigious website BoxRec and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.

 

Locally known as Wanheng Kaiyanghadaogym – and formally as Chayaphon Moonsri – the former Muay Thai champion has never paid much attention to that record and says even reaching 50 is not his priority.

 

“I’ve never thought of it. I just do my job and try to do my best in every bout I enter,” said Wanheng, who turned his back on Muay Thai a decade ago after an unblemished record at Bangkok’s Lumpini Stadium.

 

After making his professional debut in January 2007, the diminutive Thai – he is only 158cm tall - won the WBC Youth World mini-flyweight title in March that year and the WBC Interim International mini-flyweight title two years later.  

 

In January 2011, he won the WBC International Silver mini-flyweight and the WBC International mini-flyweight later that year.

 

It was not until November 2014 that he first claimed his first WBC mini-flyweight belt with a 36-0 win over Oswaldo Novoa of Mexico and has held onto his crown ever since. His 49 wins have come from 17 KOs and 32 points decisions.

 

 

Still, he has his doubters. They will point, with some merit, to the fact all his 49 wins have been on home turf. According to his camp, however, there has yet to be an overseas challenger as other promoters are uncertain about their boxers’ winning chances against the Thai. Wanheng is well known for his aggressive boxing. His powerful punches and stamina earns him the nickname as the Dwarf Giant.

 

Wanheng’s next assignment is not only a history-maker, but also his toughest assignment yet, a compulsory bout against No 1 contender Leroy Estrada of Panama in Buriram on February 9 next year.  It will be the first time they have met.

 

The Thai says he will have to be at his best since Estrada is not his ideal opponent. “Estrada is left-handed and defensive. I would prefer an aggressive opponent. I guess I have a lot of work to do,” Wanheng said.

 

He is not only talking the talk but walking the walk, working all day every day back home in Issan to be ideally prepared. Early-morning runs, shadow boxing workouts, sparring sessions, followed by strength exercises and fitness training in the gym.

 

Then he dos it all again in the afternoon.

 

“I have to make sure I’m physically tough. In terms of technique my coach [Suparb Boonrod] will figure out a way to defeat him,” said Wanheng.

 

Making history may not motivates him  but he is well aware of the pressure on him to match and surpass Mayweather’s record. Come February, he is certain to feel the expectations of the partisan home fans. 

 

Nevertheless, he is driven by nothing more than the true professional’s desire to do the best he can, to win as often as possible. 

 

 “Being a professional boxer, you never want to lose. I know I can’t win forever but I would love to do it at least one more time,” he said.

 

As if acknowledging that his time in boxing might be nearing its end Wanheng is already preparing for new challenges and hopes that in a few years he might try other forms of fighting, including Mixed Martial Arts.

 

“That seems fun to me as you are liberated to use several techniques in the fight,” he added. 

 

“I always have the desire to try something new. I’d always hoped to represent Thailand in the Asian Games or Olympics but that will be impossible as I’m a professional boxer now.”

 

Not every dream is with his reach, then, but one very notable achievement is. In eight weeks’ time the world might just hear about Wanheng Menayothin at last.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30334108

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-16

I guess he will have one or 2 step on the ladder before he can consider a slight resemblance.

The problem is not many countries have profesional fighters in this weight class.

105lb's, wow, that is tiny. 

 

Well  just saw another one on TV Glory kickboxing, Petchpanomrung Kiatmookao, 

Immense state of fights.

They have to forget Muay Thai as it is slightly different form glory. 

After he was reprimanded for clinging, i dont know why coz many try to do so, he kicked out the light from Zakaria Zouggary.

Just as thinking, ok you want to annoy me? Bam, out. Good fighter.

Well all the best as he reaches and surpasses the record.... so why is he not in the Baht?