Payao Poontarat

Payao Poontarat (Thai: พเยาว์ พูนธรัตน์; RTGS: Phayao Phuntharat; October 18, 1956 August 13, 2006) was a Thai boxer who, at the age of 18, won the bronze medal in the men's Light flyweight (-48 kg) category at the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was the first Thai athlete to win an Olympic medal in any sport.

Payao Poontarat
พเยาว์ พูนธรัตน์
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
2001–2005
Personal details
Political partyDemocrat Party
Boxing career
Statistics
Real namePayao Poontarat
Weight(s)
NationalityThai
Born(1956-10-18)October 18, 1956
Bang Sapan, Thailand
DiedAugust 13, 2006(2006-08-13) (aged 49)
Bangkok, Thailand
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights14
Wins10
Wins by KO7
Losses4
Medal record
Representing  Thailand
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Montreal Light Flyweight
Southeast Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 1977 Kuala Lumpur Flyweight

1976 Olympic results

Below is the record of Payao Poontarat, a Thai light flyweight boxer who competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympics:

Boxing career

Born in the village of Bang Sapan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phayao Poontarat came from a poor family. As a child, he sold flowers in the resort city of Pattaya to help support his younger siblings. Like many poor boys in Thailand, he took up Muay Thai, and he proved to be a gifted boxer under the ring name "Petchpayao Sitkrutat" (เพชรพะเยาว์ ศิษย์ครูทัศน์). He switched to international boxing and won a place on the Thai Olympic team in 1976.[1] Though he finished with a bronze medal, Phayao gained attention by defeating the 1972 Olympic gold medal winner, Gyogy Gedo, in the quarter-finals. He trained hard for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but his hopes for a gold were ended by the United States led boycott over of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Instead, he turned professional and on November 27, 1983 became WBC superflyweight world champion by defeating Rafael Orono of Venezuela in a split decision. In his first title defence, against Guty Espadas of Mexico, Phayao was behind on all the score cards, but saved his championship belt with a 10th-round knockout. Phayao was then challenged by Japan's Jiro Watanabe and agreed to meet him. When they met in Osaka on July 5, 1984 Phayao lost by a controversial 12-round decision. The World Boxing Council viewed the tape and ordered a rematch. It took place in November, with Phayao losing by a technical knockout in the 11th round.[2]

Political career

Giving up boxing, Phayao Poontarat became a Thai policeman with the rank of captain. He joined the Democrat Party and in 2001 was elected as member of parliament for his home-province.

Personal life and death

In 2002, he began to suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease is incurable. In 2006, Phayao died at the age of 48 at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. He was survived by his wife and several children.[3]

Professional boxing record

14 fights 10 wins 4 losses
By knockout 7 1
By decision 3 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
14 Loss 10–4 Kongtoranee Payakaroon PTS 10 Apr 2, 1985 Bangkok, Thailand
13 Loss 10–3 Jiro Watanabe TKO 11 (12) Nov 29, 1984 Prefectural Gymnasium, Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan For WBC super flyweight title
12 Loss 10–2 Jiro Watanabe SD 12 Jul 5, 1984 Osaka-Jo Hall, Osaka, Osaka, Japan Lost WBC super flyweight title
11 Win 10–1 Guty Espadas TKO 10 (12) Mar 28, 1984 Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Retained WBC super flyweight title
10 Win 9–1 Tharhahin Boosetha TKO 2 (10) Feb 5, 1984 Channel 7 Studios, Bangkok, Thailand
9 Win 8–1 Rafael Orono SD 12 Nov 27, 1983 Grand Palace Hotel, Pattaya, Thailand Won WBC super flyweight title
8 Win 7–1 Ernesto Guevara TKO 5 (10) Jul 6, 1983 Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand
7 Win 6–1 Juan Diaz PTS 10 Mar 24, 1983 Bangkok, Thailand
6 Win 5–1 Alonzo Gonzalez PTS 10 Feb 10, 1983 Bangkok, Thailand
5 Win 4–1 Kwang Suk Lee KO 5 (10) Nov 28, 1982 Bangkok, Thailand
4 Win 3–1 Dan Pisanchai KO 9 (10) Oct 10, 1982 Bangkok, Thailand
3 Loss 2–1 Kwon Soon-chun PTS 12 May 7, 1982 Changchung Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea For OPBF super flyweight title
2 Win 2–0 Jimmy Boy KO 4 (10) Mar 21, 1982 Araneta Coliseum, Barangay Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
1 Win 1–0 Tito Abella KO 2 (10) Oct 4, 1981 Bangkok, Thailand

Muay Thai record

Muay Thai Record
Date Result OpponentEventLocation MethodRoundTime
1980-07-07WinThailand Somnoi BankhodLumpinee StadiumBangkok, ThailandDecision53:00
1978-04-LossThailand Singthong PrasopchaiLumpinee StadiumBangkok, ThailandDecision53:00
1977-11-17LossThailand Orachunnoi Hor MahachaiRajadamnern StadiumBangkok, ThailandDecision53:00
1977-09-09Thailand Singthong PrasopchaiLumpinee StadiumBangkok, ThailandDecision53:00
1977-04-04Thailand Phanomthian SakmanuchaiRajadamnern StadiumBangkok, Thailand
1975-04-07LossThailand Anantachai SingbangsaenRajadamnern StadiumBangkok, ThailandDecision53:00
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

References

  1. Bangkok Post, July 8, 2008
  2. "Payao's two firsts remain unchallenged - Move&Buy Thailand". www.movethailand.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14.
  3. Obituary in The Nation Archived 2006-09-18 at the Wayback Machine
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