Sakad Porntavee (Petchyindee)

[Rover]

I've never seen that fight (Gomez/Porntavee). I've either seen the whole fight or highlights of all of Gomez's title fights except this one.

[Rover]

The Filipino Promoter - Lope Sarreal wanted to promote Sakad in a Championship bout right away, in an attempt to
set a record for a fighter winning a championship in only his 'second-bout'.

But the WBC said no, and wanted Sakad to have at least one more bout against a capable opponent.

January 14, 1978 (Provincial Hall - Buriram, Thailand)

Attendance; 8000

Sakad, now 20 years-old, took on the #5 Japanese Super-Bantamweight - Hisami Mizuno 23-7-0 (12 KO's), who was
a good fighter. Hisami had fought some of the better 122 lb. fighters in Japan and Korea, and had also never
been floored, or stopped in a bout.

Sakad proved again that he was a world class fighter, when he dropped the durable Mizuno in Round 2, and pounded
him relentlessly, and floored him 'twice' in Round 6, enroute to a 'knockout' KO 6.

Sakad was now 2-0-0 (1 KO's), and was ranked as the #4 WBC Super-Bantamweight.
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April 8, 1978

In the meantime, Juan Antonio Lopez mainatined his #1 WBC-ranking, and earned a 'Title Bout' versus
WBC Super-Bantamweight Champion - Wilfredo Gomez.

The Champion stopped (TKO 7) Juan Antonio in Puerto Rico.

Why did Lopez maintain his ranking? Was his fight with Sakad fought above 122?

[Rover]

Rover,

Juan Antonio Lopez (Mexico) retained his #1 WBC Super-Bantamweight ranking despite the loss to
Sakad Porntavee in Thailand.

WBC politics.

Wilfredo Gomez defended his WBC Super-Bantamweight Championship versus Juan Antonio Lopez on
Saturdary - April 8, 1978 - in Puerto Rico.

Sakad Porntavee's Manager - Tiemboon Intratutru did not want to send Sakad overseas to Challenge
Wilfredo Gomez, but I think the Television Networks were not interested in a fighter with only 1-bout
under his belt challenging for a World Championship.

Filipino fight promoter - Lope Sarreal offered Wilfredo's Manager (Gabriel Pegaricano) $100,000 to have Wilfredo
come over to Thailand in June 1978.

They wanted the fight in Thailand, where Sakad would be more comfortable, and have a better chance for
an 'upset'. The kid was that good.

ABC wound up televising the Lopez fight.
Yet the networks didn't televise the Zarate fight apparently; I've never seen a network TV broadcast of it.
Strange networks.

[Marlin Starfish]

Great thread.

A stand collapsed and many people died and were injured that night.

I don't think there is any footage of it which is a shame as it must've been one of 'Bazooka's all time best performances. Sagat was nails (beat Dieselnoi a few times) and said Gomez was the only fighter to truly knock him out in all of his contests.

[Rover]

No footage of Zamora/Hong II, either, so I'm glad we have at least reports of these fights.

[Rover]

Wilfred Gomez vs. Sakad Porntavee

Round 3,
Wilfredo comes out fast for Round 3, and would not let Sakad regroup. Wilfredo started to unload with hard
lefts and rights, but the brave youngster fought back.

But Wilfredo had too much power, and rattled vicious lefts and rights all over Sakad. At the (1:40 Mark)
Sakad landed his best punch a decent left hook to Wilfredo's chin. But Wilfredo just shook it off, and
continued with his two-punch assault.

Finally, Referee Ray Solis had seen enough, and called a halt to the bout at the (2:32 Mark) with no
complaint from his corner.

What happened in the first two rounds?

[dberry]

Wow, great thread Il Duce (did you take that moniker from the movie 'The Boon-dock Saints'?), I remember when Sakad came to Australia to fight Pet 'Sugarfoot' Cunningham, in the late eighties I think. Sakad struggled to make weight and spent the day of the fight running around Circular Quay spitting to lose the required weight. He made weight and although losing the undefeated Cunningham remained composed and came forward for twelve rounds.

Sakad was also one of only two people in twenty four bouts to beat, and stop, top Australian boxer Dale Artango, the other being Lester Ellis.

[dberry]

I think that was the first kickboxing fight I ever watched, both Sakad and Pete Cunningham really impressed in that fight, I was already aware of the difference in rules, bout lengths and what not between Muay Thai and kickboxing when I watched that fight and both fighters won a new fan. If Sakad had have won that fight against Gomez he would have become the first ever, and I think only, fighter to win a real world title in boxing and kickboxing, a few have come very close, Paul Briggs and Troy Dorsey come to mind, but I don't think any one has yet won a recognized and regarded world boxing and kickboxing/Muay Thai world title.

[Marlin Starfish]

I think that was the first kickboxing fight I ever watched, both Sakad and Pete Cunningham really impressed in that fight, I was already aware of the difference in rules, bout lengths and what not between Muay Thai and kickboxing when I watched that fight and both fighters won a new fan. If Sakad had have won that fight against Gomez he would have become the first ever, and I think only, fighter to win a real world title in boxing and kickboxing, a few have come very close, Paul Briggs and Troy Dorsey come to mind, but I don't think any one has yet won a recognized and regarded world boxing and kickboxing/Muay Thai world title.

You are confusing kickboxing with Muay Thai as well as confusing 'world championships' in Muay Thai with bogus 'World' trinkets.

The only championships worth their salt and the two big stadium titles in Bangkok, Lumpinee and Raja (short for a stadium I can neve be arsed to learn how to spell despite encountering it all the time)

There have been many successful converts from actual Muay Thai to boxing; a lot of experienced Thai's have even stepped up to the title plate in a few fights, most notably 140lb Raja' champ' Saensak Muangsurin (WBC 3 fights) Veeraphol Sahaprom (4 fights, WBA I think, beat fellow brilliant technical Thai Daorung Chuvatana before losing in a fantastic two round shootout to Nana Konadu) Samart Payakaroon (ATG P4P Muay Thai fighter; beat ex light fly champ' Vorasingh on his debut, a ravaged Lupe Pintor to take WBC 122lb title and a game Juan Meza before famously being destroyed by the legendary Jeff Fenech) and countless others (not all famous Thai's are accomplished Nak Muay's however, two of the greatest Thai's are arguably Kingpetch and Chionoi and neither had a Muay Thai background from what I can ascertain)

Dorsey was more Kyokushin Karate/American kickboxing wasn't he? Nothing wrong with that, but Muay Thai kicked the ass of all the different standing martial arts in the 60s and 70s, Karate, Kung Fu and Taekwondo and Buakaw beat some good Sanda guys recently. It is very, very usual for Nak Muay to fight Sakon boxing (International Boxing) some as one off's or as filler's and some take it as their main vocation.

And as I say, many Bangkok stadium champs (Think of them as WBA and WBC, the actual WBC Muay Thai title is a decent accomplishment but not as prestigious) have made the leap over to International Boxing and picked up a strap

[Marlin Starfish]

No footage of Zamora/Hong II, either, so I'm glad we have at least reports of these fights.

No footage of way too many fights from the lower weights in 60s and 70s, most nostably Venice Borkorsor Vs Betulio Gonzalez, Erbito Salvarria Vs anyone other than Hanagata, Olivares Vs Rudkin, I could go on all day.

[Rover]

I think that was the first kickboxing fight I ever watched, both Sakad and Pete Cunningham really impressed in that fight, I was already aware of the difference in rules, bout lengths and what not between Muay Thai and kickboxing when I watched that fight and both fighters won a new fan. If Sakad had have won that fight against Gomez he would have become the first ever, and I think only, fighter to win a real world title in boxing and kickboxing, a few have come very close, Paul Briggs and Troy Dorsey come to mind, but I don't think any one has yet won a recognized and regarded world boxing and kickboxing/Muay Thai world title.

Dorsey KO'd Rangel for the IBF title, which he lost in his first defense to Medina.

[dberry]

I stand corrected. And I agree that to be Lumpinee Stadium, Kings Cup or Rajadamnern Stadium champion may be regarded as significant as a world title. However, which kickboxing world title did Troy Dorsey hold? He was a very accomplished martial artist and does claim to be the only person to hold world titles in both disciplines but full contact Karate is very different to kickboxing.

[Marlin Starfish]

I stand corrected. And I agree that to be Lumpinee Stadium, Kings Cup or Rajadamnern Stadium champion may be regarded as significant as a world title. However, which kickboxing world title did Troy Dorsey hold? He was a very accomplished martial artist and does claim to be the only person to hold world titles in both disciplines but full contact Karate is very different to kickboxing.

Good post and I agree.

Looks like Dorsey only ever accomplished the boxing title part.

In some bloody great fights though!

[Marlin Starfish]

The Summer of 1978

Sakad Porntavee (Petchyindee) would have a better chance at winning the WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship
against 'new' Champ - Ricardo Cardona of Columbia.

Cardona, the 25 1/2 year-old boxer-puncher, who had just 'upset' WBA Champion - Soo-Hwan Hong in May 1978 had nowhere
near the power of Wilfredo Gomez.

He could whack a bit though (as could his brother) and funnily enough I've got the stoppage from the Hong-Cardona fight ordered so we should be able to take a look at that soon enough :good

[Rover]

Marlin,

No knock on Ricardo Cardona. A good professional, who was technically sound, 5' 7" tall, and a good combination puncher.
He had a sneaky straight right-hand, that was always pin-point in accuracy.

He was like a bigger version of Jorge Lujan.

Sans the chin.

[dberry]

I stand corrected. And I agree that to be Lumpinee Stadium, Kings Cup or Rajadamnern Stadium champion may be regarded as significant as a world title. However, which kickboxing world title did Troy Dorsey hold? He was a very accomplished martial artist and does claim to be the only person to hold world titles in both disciplines but full contact Karate is very different to kickboxing.

Good post and I agree.

Looks like Dorsey only ever accomplished the boxing title part.

In some bloody great fights though!

Thanks Starfish, I mean to take nothing away from Dorsey, I remember the days before he fought DeLaHoya, I had become a big fan of both and always hoped Troy would accomplish 'the big ask', he was certainly a very good boxer, very good kickboxer and very good karateka, a great martial artist all round and a very accomplished fighter, in fact a bloody great fighter in general.