
By James Blears
Seasoned big hitting World Boxing Council straw weight champion Panya Pradulosri, who won the title unleashing a massive upset, is readying for his first and voluntary defense, against youngster and Thai compatriot Danai Ngiabphukhiaw, in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, on the second day of November.
Nicknamed: “Ya” the thirty year old champion is not that well known outside his country. Within it he`s built a fearsome demolishing reputation for power, grim, impassive, stone faced relentlessness and for getting the job done.
To get to where he is today Panya, has fought thirty seven pro fights, has won all but one and racked up twenty three KO`s. He dethroned legendary Wanheng Menayothin on November 27th last year. It was Wanheng`s twelfth defense and his first and only defeat in fifty five pro bouts! Wily, teak tough and pragmatic Panya stunned him badly several times in the first round and then astutely and intelligently decided to fight at range for the next eleven rounds, never allowing the frenetic pace to lull or dull for a second. Each of the three Judges, were in total agreement. All scored it 115-113.
Panya is the very essence of the fighting man. He`d clocked up more than two hundred Muay Thai fights, before being persuaded to alter his ties and switch his punching power, minus the kicks to boxing. And he took to it like a duck to water!
In just his fourth pro fight, he took on Ardi Tefa for the vacant WBC Asian Continental title and TKO`d him in five blistering rounds. In his first defense he fought Geboi Mansalayo and won a UD. Then two more defences which were both stoppages. Progressing, Panya beat Henri Amol, winning the PABA title, with an eight round decision. Then he defended it twice, both times stopping Ellias Nggenggo. Each was a TKO.
Ever ambitious, he then fought Xiong Chaozhong for the vacant WBA international straw weight title, and in this one he came unstuck, against the ex WBC straw weight monarch. It was quite close. He was defeated by a 115-113, 116-112, 114-114 split decision.
Unabashed and undeterred by this blemish yet learning curve, the reedy but unbending, unwavering Panya bounced back, against Malianus Mirin for the vacant OPBF Silver title, winning it by UD. He defended it once, notching a sixth round KO over Stevanus Nana Bau, before vacating it.
Panya then decided to again go for the OPBF Silver Straw garland again, this time against Dexter Alimento, wasting no time, by ending it with by a second round KO. Then, one defense with a relentless ninth round TKO, bulldozing the brave, stubborn, but finally yielding Robert Onggocan. He then relinquished the title.
But, he hankered after the OBPF Silver straw weight belt for a third time, fighting Jerry Tomogdan for the vacant title, blitzing his opponent in sixty nine seconds of the first round, before going after Wanheng.
Before this one pending, Panya`s audacious opponent was Pattarapong Rueangsilanon who unwisely chose his pro debut to take him on, in a non- title fight. He was duly stopped in the fourth round via a searing TKO.
Panya`s next opponent is a youngster who shows potential, but has yet to prove his potency, especially at the highest level, which is singularly unforgiving.
Danai Ngiabphukhiaw aged twenty one has only been a pro boxer since 2019, but in this short spell he`s been busy. The southpaw who`s nicknamed “Laser Man,” got zapped by TKO in his debut. He lost in his fourth fight by UD, but then prodigious improvement, winning his next seven fights, four of them by stoppages.
He earned his opportunity with a TKO against Worawatchai Boonjan for the vacant Thai flyweight title on 3rd July this year. So he`ll have to shed some weight for this straw weight barn burner, in attempting to make hay while the sun shines.
“Danai Boy,” is still just twenty one years young. He`s facing an awesome test against a great champion, who`s fought thirty seven times in comparison to his eleven paid bouts. His chances are as slim as he is.
Jose Sulaimán WBC HONORARY POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME PRESIDENT (+)
Mauricio SulaimánWBC PRESIDENT
STRAWWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
NAKHON SAWAN, THAILAND
NOVEMBER 2, 2021
THIS WILL BE WBC’S 2, 118 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE FIGHT IN THE FIFTY-EIGHT YEAR HISTORY OF THE WBC
VIRAT VACHIRARATTANAWONGSE & DIAMOND BOXING PROMOTIONS, PRESENT:
PANYA PRADABSRI DANAI NGIABPHUKKBHIAW
(THAILAND) (THAILAND)
WBC CHAMPION WBC No. 19 / CHALLENGER
Nationality: Thailand Nationality: Thailand
Date of Birth: February 21, 1991 Date of Birth: January 14, 2000
Birthplace: Nam Yuen, Thailand Birthplace: AngThong, Thai
Residence: Bangkok, Thailand Residence: Nonthaburi, Thai
Record: 36-1-0, 23 KO’S Record: 9-2-0, 5 ko’s
Age: 30 Age: 21
Guard: Orthodox Guard: Orthodox
Total rounds: 212 Total rounds: 42
WBC title fights: 1 (1-0-0) Titles: Thai Champion
Manager: Kokiet Panichyarom Manager: Suachart Pisitwuttinan
Promoter: Kokiet Group Promotions Promoter: Nakorluang Promotions
NAME PERIOD AS CHAMPION
* RECONQUERED
17 WORLD CHAMPIONS RECOGNIZED BY THE WBC OF WHICH 1 HAVE REGAINED THEIR TITLE: EAGLE KYOWA (JAPAN)
85 WORLD TITLE BOUTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC
23 TITLE FIGHTS OF WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THAILAND IN THE WBC HISTORY
JAPAN 28
THAILAND 23
MEXICO 14
USA 11
CHINA 4
SOUTH KOREA 3
PUERTO RICO 1
EMIRATES ARABES 1
TOTAL 85
IN THIS DIVISION RICARDO LOPEZ (MEXICO) HOLDS THE TITLE DEFENSES RECORD WITH 21.
WBC TITLE FIGHTS IN THAILAND IN THE WBC HISTORY
116 WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN THAILAND IN THE WBC HISTORY
23 TITLE FIGHTS IN THE STRAWWEIGHT DIVISION HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THAILAND IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC
FLY 48
STRAW 23
BANTAM 14
LT. FLY 14
SUPERFLY 9
SUPERLIGHT 5
SUPERBANTAM 3
TOTAL FIGHTS 116