20 years ago

Date: 8th February 2004

Title: WBA World Super-featherweight Title

Promoter: Matsuda Promotions

Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai
( 41 - 2 - 1 )
Weight: 129 3/4 lbs

Ryuhei Sugita
( 25 - 1 - 0 )
Weight: 129 1/2 lbs

Yodsanan Sor Nanthachai (Birth name: Theera Phongwan) had won the vacant WBA World Super-featherweight Title against Mongolia's Lakva Sim in April 2002. After defending the title for the first time against American Lamont Pearson, the Thai champion headed to Gifu in Japan to defend against 28-year-old local Ryuhei Sugita.

Nanthachai who ended his career in 2009 did so with 45 Ko's from 56 wins, 3 losses and a single draw record. Known as the "Thai Tyson" due to his punching power, Nanthachai is renowned as one of Thailand's greatest ever boxers.

Nanthachai's power travelled well and he used it to stop Sugita in the 7th round.

After defending the title in America against Steve Forbes, Nanthachai lost the title to excellent Panamanian Vicente Mosquera at Madison Square Garden.