SI SA KET : Srisaket Sor Rungvisai won back some pride for Thai boxing yesterday when he stopped champion Yota Sato of Japan in the eighth round to claim the WBC super-flyweight title.
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai lands a straight left against Yota Sato.
With the triumph, the 26-year-old is the only world champion from Thailand at the moment. Once a powerhouse in boxing, the Kingdom has seen a number of their world champions lose their crowns in recent years.
In yesterday's fight at a makeshift stadium in his home province of Si Sa Ket, Srisaket proved much too strong for the champion, who was beaten in his third defence of the title.
Although Srisaket is 11cm shorter than the Japanese, he went forward from the opening bell and landed several powerful punches to Sato's body.
Srisaket was in almost complete control of the fight and led in every round. He almost finished off Sato in the seventh round but the Japanese was saved by the bell.
The end came in the next round when the referee stopped the contest after the 29-year-old absorbed a series of punches from the challenger. It was sweet revenge for Sor Rungvisai camp after Suriyan Sor Rungvisai lost the title to Sato in Japan last year.
Srisaket (19-3-1, 18KOs) had been picked to challenge Sato ahead of Suriyan because their handlers believed Srisaket was more powerful than Suriyan.
Srisaket said the title would change his life and he would try to keep it as long as possible.
"My wife is pregnant and the title is for her and the baby," he explained.
It was Sato's first fight outside Japan. He is now 26-3-1.
Promoter Thianchai Pisiwutthininan said he had already received two offers for Srisaket to fight in Japan but he had not yet decided whether Srisaket should make his first defence at home or abroad.
He said he would also try to push for Suriyan and Nawapol Sor Rungvisai to become world champions this year.