Panya Power + WBC Stats

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 27^th 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 3^rd 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.

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL

Jose Sulaimán WBC HONORARY POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME PRESIDENT (+)

Mauricio SulaimánWBC PRESIDENT

WBC STATS

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

WBC´S STRAWWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

NAME PERIOD AS CHAMPION

HIROKI IOKA (JAP) 1987 – 1988
NAPA KIATWANCHAI (THA) 1988 – 1989
JEUM-HWANG CHOI (KOR) 1989 – 1990
HIDEYUKI OHASHI (JAP) 1990
RICARDO LOPEZ (MEX) 1990 – 1998
WANDEE CHOR CHAREON (THA) 1998 – 2000
JOSE ANTONIO AGUIRRE (MEX) 2000 – 2004
EAGLE KYOWA (JAPAN) 2004
ISAAC BUSTOS (MEX) 2004 – 2005
KATSUNARI TAKAYAMA (JAPAN) 2005
EAGLE KYOWA (JAPAN) * 2005 – 2007
JUAN PALACIOS (NICARAGUA) INTERIM 2008
OLEYDONG SITHSAMERCHAI (THAILAND) 2008 – 2011
KAZUTO IOKA (JAPAN) 2011 – 2012
XIONG ZHAO ZHONG (CHINA) 2013 – 2014
OSVALDO NOVOA (MEX) 2014
WANHENG MENAYOTHIN (THAI) 2014 – 2020
PANYA PRADABSRI (THAI) 2020 –

* RECONQUERED

WBC´S STRAWWEIGHT TOP TEN CHAMPIONS

RICARDO LOPEZ (MEXICO)
OLEYDONG SITHSAMERCHAI (THAI)
WANHENG MENAYOTHIN (THAI)
HIDEYUKI OHASHI (JAPAN)
EAGLE KYOWA (JAP)
WANDEE CHOR CHAREON (THAI)
JOSE ANTONIO AGUIRRE (MEXICO)
HIROKI IOKA (JAPAN)
NAPA KIATWANCHAI (THAI)
KAZUTO IOKA (JAPAN)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE STRAWWEIGHT DIVISION

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

WORLD STRAWWEIGHT TITLE BOUTS BY COUNTRY IN 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

FIGHTS BY DIVISION IN THAILAND

FLY 48

STRAW 23

BANTAM 14

LT. FLY 14

SUPERFLY 9

SUPERLIGHT 5

SUPERBANTAM 3

TOTAL FIGHTS 116