The thudding counter right that closed the show for Thanongsak Simsri (40-1, 35 KOs) in the first defence of his IBF light flyweight title at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on Monday night didn’t just send highly fancied challenger Sergio Mendoza (27-1, 23 KOs) crashing to the canvas; it also delivered a message to the boxing world – count this champion out at your peril.
Entering as the underdog, the 25-year-old Thai needed less than two rounds to finish his Mexican counterpart, who had no answer for the swarm of power punches being sent his way. Even though Mendoza made it back to his feet after the second of two knockdowns, the contest was rightly halted with 28 seconds left in the second frame.
Still riding the high of victory, Simsri, who sits at three in The Ring’s rankings, now has a greater goal in his sights. Speaking exclusively to FightsATW.com in the aftermath of his win, the titlist touched on his desire to unify the 108-pound division.
“I’m incredibly happy to be in the top five boxers in this weight class,” he said. “If I had the chance, I would like to win world championships in every organization.
“I don’t think I’ll move up in weight classes because I want to do my best in this weight class.”
As it stands, present circumstances are favourable to Simsri, who fulfilled his IBF mandatory obligation with the defeat of Mendoza. The division’s two other belt holders, Shokichi Iwata (16-2, 13 KOs) and Rene Santiago (16-4, 9 KOs), have also competed in Japan within the past month, which may mean all three men are on similar timelines to return.
Iwata became a two-time world champion when he stopped Thammanoon Niyomtrong (29-2, 11 KOs) to claim the WBC crown on March 15. What was initially deemed a wide technical decision for Iwata after a cut to Niyomtrong’s left eye forced doctor intervention, the result was overturned to a TKO when a later ruling deemed the wound to have been caused by a punch and not a headbutt as originally stated.
18 days later, on April 3, Puerto Rico’s Santiago made it a hat-trick of wins in the Land of the Rising Sun when he successfully defended his WBA and WBO titles via unanimous decision against Masataka Taniguchi (27-6, 15 KOs). It appears that “El Chulo” has similar title-hunting ambitions, with the 34-year-old taking to social media to call for a three-belt showdown just moments after Simsri’s win.
While there aren’t any immediate plans in place for future fights, Simsri’s team has confirmed that its next move will likely be in conjunction with Ohashi Promotions, who have showcased their fighters’ two world title contests to date.
“I’ll have to consult with the promotional team in Japan, but of course, we want to fight again as soon as possible,” manager and trainer Ookami Tora told FightsATW.com.
“We haven’t signed a contract with Ohashi Promotions, but we’ll discuss all decisions with them because we’ve been good friends for a long time.”
If the pursuit of title unifications isn’t ambitious enough, Simsri has taken it upon himself to carry the hopes of a nation in the process.
In the wake of the aforementioned Thammanoon Niyomtrong loss, Thailand can now only lay claim to having one world champion, a far cry from the turn of the century when the likes of Veeraphol Sahaprom and Pongsaklek Wonjongkam held a firm grip over the lighter weight classes.
Far from feeling any added pressure as the lone flag-bearer, Simsri is using it as fuel to drive his ambitions.
“It’s something I’m incredibly proud of,” he said. “I want my victory to inspire other boxers in Thailand, give them hope, and revitalize Thai boxing back to how it used to be.”
The next 12 months loom as an interesting period for the Si Sa Ket native. Whether his trophy cabinet becomes more or less full during that time remains unclear, but what is certain is that odds makers will think twice about offering plus money on the aspiring Simsri again.
Quotes from Thanongsak Simsri in this article have been translated by trainer and manager Ookami Tora
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