I have been watching some of Payakaroon's kickboxing exploits recently, and he truly was a master... then I read that he had a boxing career as well, and was beaten by Jeff Fenech in a world title fight. Has anyone seen this fight? How did it go down? :bbb
This one was brought up recently. Payakaroon was already on the slide by this point. He was another former Muay Thai fighter who peaked very early in his boxing career. For him it was mainly a waning interest in the sport combined with troubles making the 122 pound weight limit that did him in. Not that he'd have ever beaten Fenech. Typical performance from Jeff, against a fighter who wasn't in the right place physically or mentally and was simply unable to stop the onslaught. Payakaroon had some real talent as well. Probably the most naturally talented of the Thai's to make the transition. Extremely elusive and adept at counter-punching. Just a variation on his Muay Thai game, really, where he was one of the very best of all time.
i have not seen this in ages but fenech won handily in 4 or 5 rounds i think, it was payakaroon's 2nd title defence
It's a mostly one-sided beatdown, with Fenech tearing him up on the inside. Payakaroon was a huge star in Thailand and being the playboy far more than he was the disciplined athlete by this point.The manner of the win over a faded Lupe Pintor probably lulled him into even more of a false sense of security. A shame, as he was a talented fighter, who seemed to have transitioned with ease to boxing.This loss more or less finished him, it's a shame he didn't stick it out as he could still have been a player in the division.
I see. Thanks for the comments. If you are slacking off training and having delusions of grandeur, the one person you don't want to meet in the ring is Jeff Fenech!!
the final round of the fight is on youtube. It only went 4 rounds samart got outclassed in this one. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu-kPjYHTEk[/ame] Thats as much of their fight as I have ever seen if someone has a link to the whole fight post it please.
Ive always been really impressed at how Payakaroon was an ATG in Muay Thai and a very good boxer as well. He took on Pintor with only something like 10 fights. Have you seen his Muay Thai fight with Wangjannoi?
Payakaroon managed to score a flash knockdown over Fenech in the first round but aside from that Jeff manhandled and mugged Samart against the ropes and brutally dispatched him in the fourth. This is one of Jeff's best displays imo and probably at his best weight at Jnr Feather as well.His pressure,strength and volume punching was incredible plus his power was probably the best it ever was.
how good was samart payakaroon in boxing? I see he had a 21-2 record but fought mostly in Thailand. after the defeat by fenech, he went on to win two more boxing matches against fighters whos records suggest werent top quality. leaves the sport 1988, then makes a comeback in 1993. had six more fights, loses the last one in 94, then retires for good. As el bujia stated he was one of the best muay thai fighters ever, but how would his boxing career have gone if he hadnt run into fenech.
