Saensak Muangsurin 3-0 world champion?

But on the other hand ....you have Brian Nielsen ...a heavyweight who went 49-0

 

I’m sure he must have had a Muay Thai background..... and I’ve always been impressed by how much kickboxers know about boxing

 

Moreover, he was robbed - IMO - of FOTY for 1977. 6 title defenses in one year against very good comp. Do you know how long it would take Gary Russell to make 6 title defenses? 6 years, that's how long.

 

Great piece by Flea. Muangsurin was a beast.

https://www.thefight-site.com/home/the-specialist-saensak-muangsurin

 

The fight with Brooks?

 

I don't know much about him, but I've heard that he was a champion kickboxer.

 

That was a damn good read

 

All Thai boxers have Muay Thai backgrounds - in fact the reason they go in the boxing industry is because of the low pay in Muay Thai.

 

Outstanding. He had to dig deep on that one. Wish that fight was out there for viewing.

 

He had an extensive kickboxing background, so although he was boxing rookie, he was no combat sports rookie. His two wins were against Rudy Barro, a rugged journeyman who was actually in line for a possible LW title fight at the time, and the other was over Lion Furuyama who was a serious top 10 fighter who'd had title shots against Cervantes (lost by UD) and Perico Fernandez (lost by SD). So although it was rushed, Saensak already had beaten better opposition than a lot of people who've gotten title shots.

 

The guy was a tank with a huge, destructive punch. He was not skilled in comparison to other top Thai champs, but he was cool and very experienced as a fighter by the time he was on the world scene. Unfortunately, it cost him in his health and life. I believe he lost sight in his eye, for one.

 

Which is honestly how a lot of people have viewed Pipino Cuevas in recent years, too. Unfortunately. Like it was no big deal trying to end that guy's title reign.

It made national news when Randy Shields managed to go the distance with Cuevas, he was on such a completely destructive title run at the time.

 

Some guy here the other day was arguing with me that Hearns hadn't done anything great at welterweight because he'd lost to Leonard and left the division by age 22.

Leaving out the fact that destroying Pipino Cuevas, Angel Espada, Saensak Muangsurin, Eddie Gazo, Bruce Curry, Clyde Gray and Harold Weston Jr. by KO at that time was not only INCREDIBLE but that those wins - along with Leonard-Hearns 1 unification - would be an outstanding career on its own for most.

All that before he turned 22, and moved on to win titles in four other divisions.