Tongta Kiatvayupakdi 'The Thai Bomber'

Tongta Kiatvayupakdi,

A 5' 8" southpaw bomber from Thailand.

By March 1978, the 24 year-old Tongta had emerged as the #1 WBA Light-Welterweight by
compiling a record of 27-1-0 (22 KO's).

Along the way, Tongta had posted victories over Jimmy Heair, Jeronimo Lucas, Dan De Guzman,
Wongso Suseno and Chung-Moon Chin - all Top 20 rated Light-Welterweights.

Tongta, was also a stable-mate of WBC Light-Welterweight Champion - Saensak Muangsurin.

There was a possibility that Tongta would go to New York, to fight Wilfred Benitez in an
over-the-weight Light-Welterweight bout, but Gregorio 'Papa' Benitez said 'No to Tongta'.

But, Lope Sorreal, the Philippine Promoter for Saensak Muangsurin was hoping to match the
WBC Champion with WBA Champion - Antonio Cervantes - for a possible 'big money fight'
in Bangkok, Thailand.

At first, it looked like a 'go', but........Ramiro Machado (Manager for Antonio Cervantes)
wanted one tune-up bout in Thailand, before the 'aging' Champion took on the dangerous
Saensak.

Enter, Tongta Kiatvayupakdi, 'a junior version of Saensak Muangsurin'.

 

Flea Man,,,,,,,

Spanish Television broadcast the Tongta Kiatvayupakdi vs Jeronimo Lucas
Lightweight bout, on June 30, 1976.

It was on the undercard of the Saensak Muangsurin vs. Miguel A. Velazquez
WBC Light-Welterweight Championship bout in Spain.

Tongta 'literally' chased the Spaniard all over the ring, smashing his head with
thunderous left hands, and driving Jeronimo from ring-post to ring-post,
until Lucas' cornermen threw in the towel in the 4th-Round.

Kind of funny, watching Jeronimo Lucas 'run away' from 'The Thai Bomber'.

Tongta was much quicker than Saensak in footwork and hand-speed, but in
no way was not nearly as powerful.

Tongta's proper name (Kirvsyupak Tongtanos)

 

Flea Man,

Februray 1, 1978

Spain Boxing Promoter, Jose Luis Martin Berrocal attempted to put together a
Saensak Muangsurin vs. Antonio Cervantes 'unification bout'.

He was working with Lope Sarreal and Ramiro Machado, to get the 'two' together
for a bout in either in Zurich, Switzerland or Manila, Philippines.

Unfortunately, Umberto Branchini (Italian Fight Promoter) had a signed contract, that
his fighter, the #5 WBC Light-Welterweight - Juan Jose Giminez (Argentnina born but
residing in Italy) was next in line for a Championship Title bout.

Umberto Branchini - wanted $100,000 as part of a 'buy-out', as step-aside-money.

That threw a 'banana peel' into the Saenak Muangsurin vs Antonio Cervantes
'proposed bout' for March 1978.

 

Flea Man,

Trying to find out about the Provincal Stadium in Udon Thani, Thailand.

The Friday Night - April 28, 1978 bout, drew 20,000 Thai fans.

That was the venue that hosted the Antonio Cervantes vs. Tongta Kiatvayupakdi bout.


Antonio Cervantes was in Thailand, in early-April, to watch the Saensak Muangsurin vs. Franciso Moreno bout.

 

Thanks.........

Fight recap.........Friday Night - April 28, 1978

Tongta came out winging left hooks, but 'Kid Pambele' was cool, calm and collected,
and by the the later section of the 1st-Round, Cervantes was working his left jab 'over-time'.

Early in Round 2, Tongta landed a solid left hook to Cervantes' body, and
he nearly doubled-over, but the hard-hitting southpaw Thai could not follow up.

Cervantes regained control mid-way through the round, and at the 2:10
Mark, the Champion landed a hard left hook to the jaw of Tongta, who
was shaken. Cervantes then opened up with an assortment of hard punches over the
next 25-seconds. At the end of the Round, the 24 year-old Tongta was clearly dazed.

The 32+ (going on age 36) Colombian had just taken control. In Rounds 3 and 4, Cervantes
let go with hard punches, and tossed his defense out the window, as Tongta was
suddenly too slow to counter. By the end of Round 4, Tongta was now sporting a cut
over the right-eye, thanks to a Kid Pambele slashing left uppercut.

In Round 5, the Thai-fighter attempted to get something going, but he
was awkward in his attack, as Cervantes remained cool and blocked all
punches from Tongta. Both fighters exchanged good left hands at the
1:57 Mark, but that was the last good punch Tongta landed.

Over the last-minute of Round 5, Cervantes just pot-shotted the fading
Challenger, who was now showing bruised eyes.

In Round 6, Cervantes came out steady, and just built up steam as he
walked Tongta down, and whacked his body with hard left hooks and
uppercuts. At the 2:05 Mark, Tongta looked ready to go, but he showed
heart and fired back with a 5-punch flurry.

Kid Pambele just brushed off the punches, and landed a hard left hook that
opened up the cut above Tongta's right eye. Moments later, Cervantes crashed
'2' big right hands to Tongta's jaw, and then finished him with hard left hook
to the jaw, dropping Tongta at the 2:30 Mark.

Referee - Jesus Celis (Venezuela) counted out Tongta Kiatvayupakdi at
2:40 of Round 6.

It was, without a doubt, Antonio 'Kid Pambele' Cervantes last great performance.

Antonio Cervantes received a fight purse of $125,000 to travel to Thailand.

Antonio improved to 83-10-3 (41 KO's). It was the WBA Chamion's '2nd-Defense' of his
'second reign'.

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Tongta Kiatvayupakdi, who was the #1 WBA-ranked Challenger fell to 27-2-0,
received $25,000 as a fight purse.

Saensak Muangsurin, 'Antonio Cervantes looked very impressive. He will be a tough
opponent when we fight. I feel bad for my stable-mate (Tongta), as he trained very
hard for this bout.'

 

Flea Man,

Umberto Branchini, was the one who 'clogged up' the Saensak Muangsurin vs.
Antonio Cervantes 'proposed unfication bout'.

Found in the Italian Newspaper, with Mr. Branchini demanding 'step aside' money,
which was promised to him and his fighter Juan Jose Jiminez.

Umberto had given Saensak Muangsurin and Lope Sarreal a $25,000 deposit in
January 1978 to 'promote' Saensak's next defense - which was supposed to be in Italy,
versus #5 WBC-ranked Juan Jose Giminez.

Don King was trying to get Saensak to fight Carlos Palomino in early-1978 also.