Chatchai Sasakul (; born February 5, 1970) is a Thai former professional Muay Thai fighter and boxer. He competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games before going on to hold the WBC Flyweight title from May 1997 to December 1998. Aside from being a professional boxer, he is also a practitioner in snooker.
Early life
He was born in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, but his family moved to Khlong Toei District in Bangkok when he was young, settling in Zone 9 of the Khlong Toei slum. Growing up in poverty, he was forced by his father to take up boxing as a child, starting with Muay Thai.
Muay Thai and amateur boxing career
Sasakul's martial arts journey began with Muay Thai. He initially fought in the Bangkok circuit under the name Nuengthoranee Lukbangli (หนึ่งธรณี ลูกบางลี่), before changing to Nuengthoranee Petchyindee (หนึ่งธรณี เพชรยินดี) after joining the Petchyindee Boxing Promotions stable. Under the patronage of Virat Vachirarattanawong, the owner of Petchyindee, he attended high school at Bhadungsit Pittaya School in Bang Sue; the school is known for its strong amateur boxing program at the youth level. He later transitioned to Western boxing and rose to become one of Thailand's top amateur boxing stars. He had an amateur record of 85 fights, winning 78 of them, he won the 1989 and 1990 editions of the King's Cup where he received the Best Boxer of the competition award.Bangkok Post 07/07/03
During his time as an amateur boxer, he was regarded as the favorite of Klaew Thanikhul, a well-known mafia figure who was highly influential in the Thai boxing industry at the time. Thanikhul took him to nightclubs and massage parlours around Bangkok at night, and even brought him to a casino in Las Vegas, even though he was only in the eleventh grade.
Olympic career
He represented Thailand as a Light Flyweight at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. The results of his fights were: 1st round bye Defeated Luis Rolon (Puerto Rico) 3–2 Defeated Maurice Maina (Kenya) 5–0 Lost to Róbert Isaszegi (Hungary) 2–3
Professional boxing career
Sasakul turned pro in 1991 and captured the WBC and lineal flyweight titles with a win over Yuri Arbachakov in 1997, having previously challenged him in 1995 in his first career loss. He defended the titles twice before losing to Manny Pacquiao by knockout in 1998 to earn Pacquiao his first championship title.
On March 31, 2007, Sasakul knocked out Lito Sisnorio, a Filipino boxer. Sisnorio reportedly sustained brain injuries during the fight. The next day, following unsuccessful brain surgery, Sisnorio was pronounced dead at Piyamin Hospital in Thailand at 9:15 PM. The controversy over the match arose from the fact that Sisnorio's role in the fight was not officially sanctioned by the Philippine Games and Amusement Board. His death prompted the Board to ban all fights involving Filipino boxers in Thailand starting April 2007.
On August 30, 2008, Sasakul challenged Cristian Mijares, the WBA and WBC unified super flyweight champion. However, he stopped in three rounds. According to a doctor who provided him medication after the match, this was the Thai boxer's last career fight. What might have become a disadvantage for Sasakul was that he had to go to a second flight to Mexico through Germany after having problems with the first flight which tried to go through Hong Kong. By the time he got to Mexico, the fight was only three days away and that he experienced jet lag.
After retirement
After retirement, he briefly opened a mu kratha night restaurant, but it was unsuccessful. Later, Sasakul opened his own boxing gym, Sasakul Muay Thai, in Bangkok, focusing primarily on boxing with the goal of nurturing a new generation of Thai world boxing champions. He is also a trainer to Superbon Banchamek and to fighters from his former team, Petchyindee Boxing Promotions, such as Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Kompayak Porpramook, Panomroonglek Kratingdaenggym, Yodmongkol Vor Saengthep, Knockout CP Freshmart, Noknoi Sitthiprasert. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes68WinChaiwirat RongthaisongKO5 (6)Nov 25, 200867Loss62–4–1Cristian MijaresTKO3 (12)Aug 30, 200866Win62–3–1Anis CeunfinTKO2 (10)Dec 4, 200765Win61–3–1Marvin TampusUD8Oct 24, 200764Win60–3–1Jonrae VeranoUD6Aug 24, 200763Win59–3–1Roger MonsertoUD8Jul 18, 200762Win58–3–1Masanori MurataUD6May 25, 200761Win57–3–1Lito SisnorioKO4 (8)Mar 30, 200760Win56–3–1Alfred NagalUD6Jan 26, 200759Win55–3–1Roger BerlozaTKO4 (6)Dec 29, 200658Win54–3–1Yuki MuraiUD12Sep 7, 200657Win53–3–1Katsumi MakiyamaTKO5 (12)Jul 28, 200656Win52–3–1Dodong DiscadoKO2 (10)Apr 28, 200655Loss51–3–1Kuniyuki AizawaUD10Dec 12, 200554Win51–2–1Nathan BarcelonaUD8Oct 28, 200553Win50–2–1Tata PolinarKO6 (12)Sep 30, 200552Win49–2–1Anucha RassameeyanUD6Jun 24, 200551Win48–2–1Al TarazonaKO2 (10)Jan 29, 200550Win47–2–1Thuwachit BoongomeTKO2 (6)Dec 31, 200449Win46–2–1Rolly MandahinogUD10Aug 27, 200448Win45–2–1Jun MagsipocTKO8 (12)Jun 25, 200447Win44–2–1Allan FuentesUD12Apr 30, 200446Win43–2–1Sunao UnoSD10Mar 7, 200445Win42–2–1Anthony VillamorTKO4 (6)Jan 3, 200444Win41–2–1Rey LlagasUD12Sep 5, 200343Win40–2–1Edgar TahadKO2 (?)Jul 25, 200342Win39–2–1Arman PedemonteUD10Sep 22, 200041Win38–2–1Ricky ProtacioKO5 (?)Jun 23, 200040Win37–2–1Nathan BarcelonaTKO8 (10)May 19, 200039Win36–2–1Marlon TeradoKO4 (?)Oct 17, 199938Win35–2–1Rey LlagasPTS8Sep 17, 199937Win34–2–1Nathan BarcelonaUD10Aug 29, 199936Win33–2–1Rico MacaubosPTS8Mar 6, 199935Loss32–2–1Manny PacquiaoKO8 (12)Dec 4, 199834Win32–1–1Young Soon JangKO5 (12)May 1, 199833Win31–1–1Young Jin KimUD12Feb 27, 199832Win30–1–1Yuri ArbachakovUD12Nov 12, 199731Win29–1–1Juan Domingo CórdobaRTD7 (12)Aug 1, 199730Win28–1–1Ysaias ZamudioUD12May 9, 199729Win27–1–1Ramil GeveroKO5 (10)Jan 30, 199728Draw26–1–1Allan MorreTD2 (10)Nov 8, 199627Win26–1Ricky OcoyTKO6 (8)Aug 23, 199626Win25–1Jimmy AguirreTKO4 (10)Jul 31, 199625Win24–1Texas GomezTKO4 (6)May 24, 199624Win23–1Pablo TiznadoTKO9 (10)Apr 15, 199623Win22–1Joel NiceKO3 (?)Jan 27, 199622Win21–1Ledion CenizaPTS8Nov 5, 199521Loss20–1Yuri ArbachakovUD12Sep 25, 199520Win20–0Joseph PadenKO3 (?)Apr 27, 199519Win19–0Mauro SauceloKO2 (?)Feb 19, 199518Win18–0Edwin ProjoKO5 (?)Dec 21, 199417Win17–0Chang-Il MoonKO3 (?)Oct 24, 199416Win16–0Nolito CabatoPTS10Aug 1, 199415Win15–0Jack SiahayaTKO5 (?)May 2, 199414Win14–0Oscar JimenezKO2 (10)Mar 13, 199413Win13–0Benjie DuranKO3 (?)Dec 18, 199312Win12–0Rolando ProtacioTKO3 (?)Oct 30, 199311Win11–0Reynante JamiliKO2 (?)Jul 16, 199310Win10–0Rolando PascuaUD12Apr 28, 19939Win9–0Alexander MakhmutovUD12Feb 25, 19938Win8–0Norikazu KawanaTKO3 (?)Dec 25, 19927Win7–0Jon PenalosaKO2 (?)Oct 4, 19926Win6–0Tarman GarzimUD10Jul 5, 19925Win5–0Jess MacaPTS10May 29, 19924Win4–0Ric MagramoTKO8 (12)Mar 20, 19923Win3–0Ric SiodoraTKO2 (10)Dec 27, 19912Win2–0Ji-Chun ShimTKO5 (?)Sep 17, 19911Win1–0Bert RefugioTKO1 (?)Aug 1, 1991
Muay Thai record
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1989-01-27 || Win ||align=left| Chakawan Naruemon || Lumpinee Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || KO (Uppercut)|| 3 ||
|- style="background:#c5d2ea;" | 1988-01-22 || Draw ||align=left| Noppadet Narumon || Lumpinee Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1987-02-13 || Win ||align=left| Fahsathan Lukprabat || Lumpinee Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1987-01-10 || Win ||align=left| Kangwannoi Or.Sribualoi || Lumpinee Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || Referee stoppage || 4 ||
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1986- || Win ||align=left| Karuhat Sor.Supawan || Lumpinee Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1985- || Loss ||align=left| Kompayak Singmanee || || Hat Yai, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1985- || Win ||align=left| Kompayak Singmanee || Rajadamnern Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1985- || Loss ||align=left| Karuhat Sor.Supawan || || Samrong, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1983- || Loss ||align=left| Hippy Singmanee || || Bangkok, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#c5d2ea;" | 1982- || Draw ||align=left| Hippy Singmanee || || Bangkok, Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1982- || Loss ||align=left| Wangyu Sor.Ploenjit || Rajadamnern Stadium || Bangkok, Thailand || TKO (Eye injury) || 5 ||
|- style="background:#cfc;" | || Win ||align=left| Wangyu Sor.Ploenjit || || Thailand || Decision || 5 || 3:00
| colspan=9 | Legend:
See also List of world flyweight boxing champions
References
External links
Chatchai Sasakul at Cyber Boxing Zone