Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


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KHAOSAI GALAXY
THAILAND'S GREATEST WORLD CHAMPION

Text : Graeme Monaghan
Image: www.muaylok.net

Boxing has long been the premier sport in Thailand. What is now called 'kick boxing' began in Thailand centuries ago and is known as 'Muay Thai', and has spread throughout the world almost as rapidly as Thai food. In Chiang Mai there are several venues where tourists may enjoy this exciting sport. The two main ones are Thapae Stadium (near the gate) and the Gawila complex at the army barracks on the Chiang Mai-Lamphun road. It is interesting to note that almost all 'orthodox' Thai boxers began their careers as Muay Thai fighters.

Over the years Thailand has produced any number of world class athletes; more so in recent times. The long-awaited search for an Olympic gold medal did not arrive until Somlak Kamsing punched his way to victory in boxing's lightweight division at the Games in 1996 in Atlanta against Bulgarian Serafim Todorov.

Since then, however, Olympic medals have been brought back to Thailand with increasing regularity. At Sydney in 2000 navy petty officer Wijan Ponlid won gold in the flyweight division and in Athens in 2004 Manus Boonjumnong carried home gold in the light welter division. Four years later he would add a silver medal to his tally in Beijing to become the Kingdom's only dual Olympic medalist.

To maintain the boxing trend Somjit Jongjohor displayed skill, dedication and determination to receive the ultimate prize at the Beijing Games in the flyweight division. Somjit's win was especially memorable as he had to endure a number of setbacks and disappointments over a number of years before he finally secured the greatest prize of his life.

Not to be denied, the women have also showed their mettle with a swag of medals at the last two Olympics. In Athens in 2004 two Thai girls won gold in the weightlifting events. In the 75 kilogram class Pawina Thongsuk lifted gold as did her teammate Udomporn Polsak in the 53 kilogram division.

Who could forget the look of utter determination on the face of pint-sized Udomporn when she appeared for the final lift that carried her to victory. It was a lesson to any athlete.

In recent times Thai tennis players have also appeared in the limelight. Tamarin Tunasagarn reached the semi-final of the 2008 Wimbledon women's tournament only to be defeated by ultimate winner Venus Williams in a close-fought match. Then we have Paradorn Srichaphan who became the first Asian player to reach the Top 10 in world rankings and whose career has recently been dogged by a wrist injury.

Great athletes each one of them. But for all their skill, determination and success, none can compete with one of the finest boxers ever to step into a ring anywhere in the world; Thailand's very own……Khaosai Galaxy.

Khaosai Galaxy, remains to this day Thailand's greatest ever boxing champion or, for that matter, any other sporting champion. He was born Sura Saenkham in Petchaboon on 15 May 1959 and the man who successfully defended his WBA title no less than nineteen times actually began his career as a Muay Thai kick-boxer.

In 1980 he had a change of heart and turned to orthodox boxing with dramatic success. Weighing 115 pounds and standing 5'5", he was a southpaw (lefthander) and had obviously found his niche in the traditional form of boxing as he won his first six fights. After only eighteen months in the ring he fought for the Bantamweight championship of Thailand against Sakda Saksuree. Unfortunately, lack of experience eventually told on the 21 year-old from Petchaboon and Sakda won on points.

That was to be Khaosai's only loss for his entire boxing career. Around this time he decided to give himself a more glamorous and eye-catching name so he adopted the name of his manager's nightclub. He has been known as Khaosai Galaxy ever since; his original name being long-forgotten by most.

No doubt stirred by his loss, Khaosai then won his next 15 bouts by knockout including a return match with Sadka, against whom he gained sweet revenge with a knockout in round three.

Naturally enough, startling performances such as these elevated him in world rankings and in November 1984 he was matched against the undefeated Eusebio Espinal of the Dominican Republic for the WBA world Super Flyweight title.

Galaxy knocked him out in the sixth round to begin his reign as world champion. Oddly enough, this would be Espinol's only career defeat.

Over the next seven years he went on to defend his title an amazing nineteen times, winning them all most by knockout.

He was a fighter with tremendous punching power and if you watch some of his fights on YouTube you will see that he regularly felled opponents with powerful body punches. Apparently Khaosai always remembered the adage from his kick-boxing days that 'the left hand drills the intestines'.

But punching power alone is not enough to beat many of the world's best boxers. His defence and cat-like reflexes were also large aspects of his extraordinary skill.

Very much a 'stand and deliver' fighter he was prepared to take punishment; none of which ever matched what he gave in return.

He finally retired in December 1991 with a record of 49 wins and one loss. Of his 49 wins 27 were by straight knockout and 14 by TKO. (Technical-knockout is when the boxer cannot continue because of injury.) This means that only nine of his 50 fights went the full distance. This is a truly remarkable record. Compare it, for instance, with the great 'Sugar' Ray Robinson, considered by many to be the greatest boxer of all time, who actually lost 19 of his 202 fights. (Approximately 10% compared with Khaosai's 5%)

Added to this is the fact that Khaosai took on all-comers in defence of his title; unlike many champions who, to hold on to their title, studiously avoid having to come up against anyone they are not sure they can beat.

One of the unfortunate aspects of Khaosai's career was that he never fought in America and only once fought outside the Orient; in Curacao in 1986. Had he done so there is no doubt he would have been a sensation and earned much bigger purses. Why he did not remains a mystery but the general consensus is that it was so difficult to find fighters who would take him on.

After his last fight in December 1991 in Bangkok against Mexican Amando Castro he announced his retirement and, unlike many former champs, never attempted a comeback.

But the Galaxy story does not end there as Khaosai had an identical twin brother who was also a boxer of note. Kaokor Galaxy (born Nirote Saenkham) took over his famous twin's mantle and
captured the WBA world title left vacant by Khaosai. They remain the only identical twins ever to hold world boxing titles.

Whilst not of the class of his twin, Kaokor was formidable enough to finish his career with only two losses from 26 fights.

Khaosai Galaxy was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999. He remains a national treasure and these days is regularly seen on television.