Thailand's Newest Champion

[sriracha john]

Thailand's Somsak stuns Monshipour in upset to win WBA belt

PARIS (AFP) - Thailand's Somsak Sithchatawal scored an upset knockout over France's Mahyar Monshipour to win the WBA superbantamweight title after a bruising slugfest.

Somsak had Monshipour on the canvas in the first and was on the end of a sustained pummeling in the early rounds before coming back into the contest as the Iranian-born champion tired.

A relentlessly explosive bout was settled in the 10th round, when Somsak caught Monshipour with six unanswered hooks {perhaps all were lefts if his bloodied glove is any indication}forcing the referee to stop the contest to the dismay of a fiercely partisan Parisian crowd.

Somsak's corner exploded with joy after the victory, leaping into the ring to hold their fighter aloft before brandishing a portrait of Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Monshipour had been making his sixth defence of a title won in July 2003 and saw his record move to 28-3, with 19 knockouts and two draws.

Somsak, fighting outside Thailand for the first time in a long career moved to 46-1, with 37 wins inside the distance and one draw. The Thai fighter immediately phoned his parents after the bout.

"I am proud to have won this fight for Thailand and my parents," Somsak said through an interpreter.

The defeat has almost certainly ended the career of Monshipour, who was abandoned by his mother at the age of six months before arriving in France from Iran as an 11-year-old.

The popular champion said there is only a "0.001 percent" of him continuing in the ring. "I've turned a page," Monshipour said. "I dreamed of unifying the titles but it was not to be."

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Congrats Khun Somsak!!!

It sounds like it was a great fight... wish they'd televise it here.

Edited March 20, 2006 by sriracha john

[Thaiboxer]

Congratulations to Somsak Sithchatawal!! The fight was televised here yesterday but it was around 4 in the morning according to my brother-in-law. Maybe for the next bout, Somsak could fight in the US and win a big match/money there. The last time there were bouts with Thais vs. Mexicans in the US all the Thai fighters lost. Western Boxing isn't quite up to the standard in the States but it will get there someday if they keep trying.

Now what we need is to get Muay Thai widespread in the States!

[ProfessorFart]

I just saw a recording of this and it was a good performance.

Western Boxing isn't quite up to the standard in the States but it will get there someday if they keep trying.

I agree with this totally. It always surprises me how few truly great fighters Thailand has produced on a World Stage. All I can think of is Sot Chitlada and Khaosai Galaxy both of whom were magnificent.

[Thaiboxer]

Khaosai Galaxy was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999. His brother Kaokor was also very good but not as good as Khaosai plus he suffered from heart trouble. Khaosai only lost one match in his pro career and that was when he moved from the Junior Bantamweight category up to Bantamweight. He defended his title 19 times before retiring undefeated. It was said that when Galaxy hit you, you didn't get up!

Yodsanan 3K Battery is a good Western stylist and I believe he is also a southpaw like Khaosai was...it seems that many of Thailand's Western boxers are southpaws. Once during a training session, Yodsanan hit the trainer's focus mit so hard it flew off his hand and dented the roof covering the gym. Now if only he could land a few of those on some of the boxers in the West he would really make a name for himself.

[thaibebop]

Congratulations to Somsak Sithchatawal!! The fight was televised here yesterday but it was around 4 in the morning according to my brother-in-law. Maybe for the next bout, Somsak could fight in the US and win a big match/money there. The last time there were bouts with Thais vs. Mexicans in the US all the Thai fighters lost. Western Boxing isn't quite up to the standard in the States but it will get there someday if they keep trying.

Now what we need is to get Muay Thai widespread in the States!

That would nice. Where I am at in the Midwest no one even knows of Muay Thai.

[Thaiboxer]

Check out www.usmta.com This is the US Muay Thai Association's website and should contain a listing of gyms all around the US. There may be a small one in your area that local folks don't know about.

[Donz]

I just hired the fight at the thai video shop.

It was a great fight, both fighter took punishment.

Great win for the Thai