Wednesday Night - June 26, 1976 Sports Palace - Madrid, Spain Attendance - 16,137 (sell out) WBC Light-Welterweight Championship Thailand's - Saensak Muangsurin is the visiting WBC Champion, as he takes on local Madrid resident, and long-time Spaniard veteran - 31 1/2 year-old - Miguel Velazquez. Saensak, called by the Spaniards as 'The Shadow of the Devil' for his hypnotic eyes and unmerciful assaults, is a 12-1 Betting Favorite. 25 1/2 year-old - Saensak 'Boomsong' Muangsurin ('The Hard Left Fist), the viscious hitting southpaw from Bangkok, Thailand. With only '5' professional bouts 5-0-0 (4 KO's) and only '37' rounds of boxing in his career, the WBC Light-Welterweight Champion will be making the '2nd Defense' of his Championship, that he won on July 15, 1975 by KO 8 over Spaniard - Perico Fernandez. Saensak was supposed to come to Spain, to defend his 'Championship Belt' against the former Champion -Perico Fernandez in a 'rematch', but 'Little Perico' has opted out of challenging for the WBC Light-Welterweight Championship at this time. Entering this bout, the 5' 7 1/2" southpaw 'Boomsong', will weigh-in at 139 lbs. and bring with him a long 71" reach. Though fighting at Light-Welterweight, the long-armed Thai-Fighter looks like a 150 lb. 'Thailand armored tank'. Saensak neeed 'three trips' to the scale to make the 140 lb. weight limit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Round 1: Challenger - Miguel Velazquez shoots a left-jab on Champion - Saensak Muangsurin This content is protected
June 29, 1976 Miguel Velazquez (Madrid, Spain) The 31 1/2 year-old veteran Spaniard. Had a 'super record' of 64-3-3 (32 KO's), primarily scoring wins over the Top European Lightweights. The 5' 7" Velazquez, was 'truly' a 135 lb. Lightweight campaigning in the 140 lb. Light-Welterweight division. Miguel, at 31 1/2 years of age, was 6-years past his prime, and was ready to retire, when he got this 'gift' to challenge for the WBC Light-Welterweight Championship, when his Manager Enrique Soria was able to get Promoter Luis Martin Berrocal to put up the finances, as well as pay the Champion an additional fee. Miguel Velazquez will receive a fight purse of 3,000,000 Pesetas ($25,000 U.S. Dollars). Saensak Muangsurin will receive a fight purse of 9,000,000 Pesetas ($75,000 U.S. Dollars) Ranked as the #9 WBC Light-Welterweight, some Spain boxing pundits felt that Miguel's experience would lead him to victory over the '5-Bout' pro-experienced Champion - Saensak Muangsurin. At 5' 7" - Miguel Velazquez was a stand-up boxer, typical of the European style, with a sharp left jab, and a crisp and accurate straight right hand. Miguel was a very good boxer, and possessed excellent ring skills. Miguel made up for his lack of power by utilizing his fast hands early in the bout, and then by putting on the pressure in the later rounds. During his current streak, when he came out of 'retirement' on June 28, 1972 (the past 4-years), Miguel has gone 18-1-0 (7 KO's), which includes the Spanish Lightweight Championship. Miguel is also the former European Lightweight Champion. He had lost the title back on July 31, 1971 - when he was stopped (L KO 4) to Antonio Puddo of Italy. Following that loss, he retired for 1-year. Miguel also defeated 'undefeated' Scot -Ken Buchanan 33-0-0 on January 29, 1970 - to win the 'vacant' European Lightweight Championship.
June 26, 1976 Saensak Muangsurin vs Miguel Velazquez I Challenger - 'Spaniard' Miguel Velazquez having some success versus WBC Champion -Saensak Muangsurin in the '1st-Round'. This content is protected
The Fight Miguel Velazquez at a 'light' 136 1/2 lbs., actually won the 1st-Round, by scoring with light, but accurate left jabs and quick snally right hands. The Champion - Saensak, was content to let the 31 1/2 year-old veteran throw anything he had, as the Thai fighter was content to see what Velazquez had. But in Round 2, Saensak started to unload, and hurt Velazquez bad, and dropped him for an '8-Count'. In Round 3, more of the same, as again Saensak battered the 'out-gunned' Miguel, and dropped him again for an '8-Count'. In between Rounds, the 16,000 Spanish fans tried to encourage their Madrid fighter with chants of 'Miguel, Miguel'. In Miguel Velazquez corner, was his compatriot, Jose Manuel Duran (newly crowned WBA Light-Middleweight Champion), who offered his advice on how to 'ward off' Saensak in the next round. In Round 4, Saensak set the pace, and measured Miguel for 'The Hard Left Fist'. Numerous times the 'left fist' found the mark, and the Spaniard 'teetered' on the edge of falling down a 3rd-time. But somehow, Miguel and his battered body made it to the end of the round. As the bell rang ending Round 4, Miguel Velazquez turned to his left to walk back to his corner, and then after a pause, Saensak Muangsurin unloaded a booming left to the right side of Velazquez' head. Miguel went to the canvas with legs wide-spread, and unconscious. Without hesitation, Mexican Referee - Abraham Chavarria called a 'foul' and immediately 'disqualified' the Champion for a 'blatant' after-the-bell-foul. In the photo below, a still stunned Miguel Velazquez is 'paraded' as the new WBC Light-Welterweight Champion. WBC President, Jose Sulaiman (sunglasses) was also part of the celebration, as he attempts to put the 'Championship Belt' around the waist of the 'nuevo' Campeon Del Mundo. Campeon Del Mundo (Miguel Velasquez) This content is protected
Flea Man, On the undercard of the Saensak Muangsurin vs. Miguel Velazquez bout. Thai - Tongta Kiatvayupakdi (Saensak's stablemate) chased Spain's- Jeronimo Lucas 16-3-1 (7 KO's) all over the ring, and pounded him from ring post-to-ring post, before Lucas' corner threw in the towel in the 4th Round. Tongta (proper name; Kirvsyupak Tongtanos), another hard-fisted southpaw Thai-fighter, who would later go on to Challenge WBA Light-Welterweight Champion - Antonio Cervantes in 1978.
October 1976 Spain Boxing Promoter - Luis Martin Berrocal announced that the rematch between WBC Light-Welterweight Champion - Miguel Velazquez and #1 WBC - Thai Challenger and the former Champion Saensak Muangsurin will take place in Segovia, Castilla y Leon, Canary Islands on Friday Night - October 29, 1976. Fight Purses have been listed as ($80,000 U.S. Dollars) for the Champion, and ($50,000 U.S. Dollars) for the Challenger. WBC President - Jose Sulaiman has announced the winner of this Championship bout must defend his crown versus 'American' #2 WBC Monroe Brooks within '90-Days', after the American Holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's). Monroe Brooks who was supposed to fight the winner of the 'first' Saensak Muagsurin vs. Miguel Velazquez bout (on June 30, 1976) within '60-Days' or August 30, 1976, has now received 'step-aside money' to allow this rematch to take place. Mr. Brooks and his Manager Jackie McCoy will be at ringside to view the Championship bout.
October 19, 1976 Former Champion - Saensak Muangsurin 5-1-0 (4 KO's) has arrived in Madrid, for his Friday Night - October 29, 1976 Championship Bout with Miguel Velazquez 66-3-3 (33 KO's). The Thailand fighter said that the climate here was 'cold', and it made him feel uncomfortable. The bout which is scheduled for 11:30 Friday Night, with be televised on TV Dionysus. Saensak arrived here with 'two 140 lb. sparring partners', both young and undefeated. The ferocious southpaw - Tongta Kiatvayupakdi 15-0-0 (12 KO's), and the lightning fast boxer-puncher Jong Satherigym 13-0-0 (9 KO's). The WBC has announced that American - Jimmy Dunn wil be the Referee, and the Judges will be from Italy and Germany. The Champion - Miguel Velazquez will receive an $80,000 fight purse, after ancillary fee's are added.
Friday Night - October 29, 1976 Thailand -Saensak Muangsurin regained his WBC Light-Welterweight Championship over Champion - Spaniard - Miguel Velazquez, by a 'Knockout' (KO 2) last night. The Championship Bout lasted all of '5-minutes', as Saensak blasted Miguel all over the ring. The Thai-fighter, 'ridiculed' the Spaniard by laughing at him after getting hit by Miguel's best punch. Muangsurin, with a boyish face, almost mischevious, smiles constantly, even while absorbing blows from his opponent. As Miguel fell to the canvas, Saensak 'The Shadow of the Devil' glared at his fallen opponent and pleaded with the Spaniard to rise, so he could had out more punishment. The now (26 year-old) Champion, at 6-1-0 (5 KO's) looks 'unbeatable' with his 'two-cuffs'. After the bout, Saensak stated, 'I'm not afraid in the ring. I can take '10' punches to '1', and still come out on top. In the first fight, Miguel exaggerated the late punch that I hit him with. I was on my way to an easy win, and he looked to flop'. On the losing end, Miguel was insulted by several hundred Segovia spectators after the bout, and was boo'd as he walked from the ring. It was not the way Miguel Velazquez (a classy stylist) wanted his career to end. This content is protected
Before losing to Saensak Muagsurin on October 29, 1976 WBC Light-Welterweight Division **** Miguel Velazquez #1... Saensak Muangsurin #2... Monroe Brooks #3... Wongso Suseno #4... Antonio Cervantes #5... Perico Fernandez #6... Hector Thompson #7... Nicolino Locche #8... Lion Furuyama #9... Cemal Kamaci #10. Tongta Kiatvayupakdi #11. Adolph Viruet #12. Leroy Haley #13. Adriano Marrero #14. Carlos Maria Giminez
Lester, Saensak had a few nicknames 'The Hard Left Fist' 'Boomsong' 'The Shadow of the Devil' 'The Devil's Own' 'Unmerciful' 'Chinese Eyes' 'Mr. Hypnotize' Poor Miguel Velazquez This content is protected
