Samart Payakaroon
Four Lumpinee belts, then a world boxing title
- Born
- December 5, 1962, Chachoengsao, Thailand
- Nationality
Thailand- Height
- 172 cm (5′8″)
- Stance
- Southpaw
- Style
- Muay Femur technician
- Weight
- Pinweight, Light Flyweight, Super Flyweight, Super Bantamweight, Featherweight
- Active
- 1972–2001
- Status
- Retired · age 63
The record
Muay Thai, per Wikipedia (about 250 fights; records from the era are incomplete). Pro boxing 21-2 (12 KO).
The story
amart Payakaroon had his first paid fight in 1972, aged ten, and by late 1981 he had won Lumpinee Stadium titles in four weight classes. A southpaw, he relied on timing, reflexes and ring vision rather than force. Thailand's sportswriters named him Fighter of the Year in 1981, 1983 and 1988. He also crossed into boxing, knocking out Lupe Pintor in the fifth round in 1986 to become WBC super bantamweight champion, then losing the belt to Jeff Fenech in 1987. His best-known Muay Thai defeat, a 1982 decision against the knee fighter Dieselnoi, was voted Fight of the Year. Away from the ring he released pop albums and acted on screen, and in the 1990s he trained Chamuekpet Hapalang.
- Lumpinee Stadium champion in four divisions: 102, 108, 115 and 126 lb (1980–1981)
- WBC world super bantamweight champion, boxing (1986–1987)
- Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year (1981, 1983, 1988)
- Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fight of the Year (1981, 1982, 1988)
Defining fights
- 1981WINvs Mafuang Weerapol (decision, Fight of the Year)
- 1982LOSSvs Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn (decision, Fight of the Year)
- 1986WINvs Lupe Pintor (KO 5, won WBC super bantamweight title, boxing)
- 1987LOSSvs Jeff Fenech (KO 4, lost WBC title, boxing)
- 1988WINvs Panomtuanlek Hapalang (KO 1, Fight of the Year)
Steal his counter-timing: from southpaw, make the jab or lead kick miss with a half-step back, then fire the rear straight or rear kick while your opponent is still recovering.
2016–now