WBC announces Pongsaklek Wonjongkam as Boxer of the Decade – Boxing news
The WBC has finally announced its award winners with Pongsaklek Wonjongkam being winner of the Boxer of the Decade award.
On the other hand, the Most Dramatic Bout of the Year was awarded to the title fight of Kompayak Porpramuk against Mexican Adrian Hernandez.
According to the WBC, the now Boxer of the Pongsaklek is well known for his astounding career of 83 wins, 3 losses and 2 ties. He won 26 championship bouts during his reign with 44 knockouts which made him the most superior one of his time.
Unfortunately, Pongsaklek did not break Lewis’ record of 27 title bouts and Julio Cesar Chavez’s world record of 37 title bouts by last year, even though he came close.
In 2003, Pongsaklek won the title for the first time. As champion, he won 17 consecutive title bouts to defend his title but finally lost to Japanese fighter Daisuke Naito in July 2007. He then went onto regain the title in Japan in March 2010, by defeating
Koki Kameda. His title regaining fight became one of his most high-ranking fights ever. After Koki, Pongsaklek has retained the 122-pound belt and will be defending it against the Pilipino Sonny Boy Jaro in March.
On the other hand, the Most Dramatic Bout of the Year between Kompayak and Hernandez was held last month, in which the former enthralled fans with his outstanding fighting skills making the latter stagger in the ring to take the WBC light-flyweight championship.
Piyarat Wachirarattawongse rated 2010 as the best year for the Petchyindee boxing camp saying that the awards did not come as a surprise to him, as he was confident of his boxers’ impressive skills.
Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko received Boxer of the Year award, while Bout of the Year award went to the welterweight bout of Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto.
The most surprising winner was Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the award of Comeback of the Year for defeating Victor Ortiz in their welterweight bout. Since Mayweather is a public hero, the award was much appreciated by the international community worldwide.
Edward Thangarajah, WBC’s international secretary and the man who nominated both the Thai boxers, praised Pongsaklek by saying, “Pongsaklek is the best boxer Thailand has ever produced. He has everything a great boxer needs ability, ambition and determination.”
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