Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs Hiram Irak Diaz

A world championship boxing match headed a ONE Championship programme for the first, and, as events proved, only, time when the WBC super-flyweight title was contested at the Impact Arena in Nonthaburi, near Bangkok. A crowd reported at 12,000 gathered on October 6, 2018, to see Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai make the first home defence of his second championship reign. His challenger, Hiram Irak “Iran” Diaz of Mexico, had earned the opportunity through victories over former champions Hernán Márquez and Luis Concepción, but he entered the ring with only six stoppages in 14 wins and faced a champion renowned for applying strength and heavy pressure over the full distance.

Sor Rungvisai, boxing from his customary southpaw position, took the initiative at once. He advanced behind short, forceful punches and directed much of his early work towards the body. Diaz tried to maintain room in which to counter, but the champion’s forward movement obliged him to spend long periods retreating. Sor Rungvisai was not always tidy in his approach, yet the weight and frequency of his blows kept the Mexican occupied. Whenever Diaz stopped to answer, the Thai accepted the return and continued forward, forcing his opponent back towards the ropes.

The same pattern held through the opening four rounds. Sor Rungvisai pressed, worked with both hands and gave Diaz little opportunity to settle into a sustained attack. The challenger remained composed and defended himself adequately, but he was largely fighting in response to what was placed before him. By the fifth, Diaz began finding the champion’s head with cleaner counters. These were properly delivered punches, though they did not alter Sor Rungvisai’s course. He walked through them and resumed his attack downstairs, where the blows appeared to have the greater effect.

Diaz produced his best spell in the sixth round, increasing his output and meeting the champion more willingly. It was a temporary improvement rather than a change in control. In the seventh, Sor Rungvisai struck hard to the body and twice had the challenger rattled. Diaz absorbed the punishment without going down, but his legs and his subsequent retreat showed its effect. The Thai was unable to obtain the stoppage that his harder punches had threatened, partly because Diaz kept his guard together and partly because the challenger possessed a sound chin.

The later rounds became a test of Diaz’s durability. Sor Rungvisai continued to command the ground, driving in punches to the ribs before bringing his attack back to the head. Diaz remained willing to counter, though his replies became less frequent as the champion’s pressure accumulated. A cut beneath the Mexican’s right eye began bleeding in the ninth round, and another wound opened above his left eyebrow in the tenth. With blood marking both sides of his face, Diaz nevertheless stayed upright and continued to defend himself intelligently. There were no knockdowns and no decisive foul to interrupt the steady course of the contest.

Sor Rungvisai maintained his advantage through the championship rounds without taking needless chances. Diaz completed the 12 rounds, a considerable achievement under the circumstances, but there was no doubt about the verdict. The judges returned scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109, giving the champion 34 of the 36 rounds available on the combined cards. Sor Rungvisai advanced to 47 wins, four defeats and one draw, while Diaz fell to 14-3-3. It was the Thai’s third successful defence since regaining the WBC championship from Román González in New York and followed his majority decision over Juan Francisco Estrada earlier in 2018. Diaz had shown courage and resistance before a partisan crowd, but Sor Rungvisai had controlled the contest from beginning to end and retained his title by the plainest possible margin.

I thought Rungvisai was entitled to an easier night after the two Roman Gonzalez fights and that close match with Juan Francisco Estrada. He had earned his standing the hard way. Fans liked him because he was uncomplicated: a strong southpaw who came forward, hit the body and trusted his chin. There were no frills about him. He just went to work.

Iran Diaz arrived with respectable wins over Hernan Marquez and Luis Concepcion, and Juan Manuel Marquez had joined his camp as an adviser. But advice only takes you so far when the other man is physically stronger and keeps taking away your room. Diaz had moments when he caught Srisaket coming in, particularly around the middle rounds, but he lacked the authority to discourage him. Srisaket accepted the counters, stepped back into range and resumed thumping the body.

It was not Srisaket at his most destructive, and anybody calling it a great fight is selling something. His feet could be crude, and he followed Diaz instead of cutting the ring properly. Against a better mover, that mattered, as Estrada later demonstrated. Here it did not. Diaz was tough, stayed upright despite being hurt and finished badly cut, but toughness was his principal contribution. Srisaket won comfortably because he dictated where the fighting took place and landed the punches that carried consequence. The decision was beyond argument.