Pone Kingpetch

Pone Kingpetch was born Mana Sridokbuab, his family name is also rendered Seedokbuab or Sidokbuap, in Hua Hin, Thailand, on 12 February 1935. Some later reference works, including the International Boxing Hall of Fame, give 1936, but Thai biographical sources and contemporary accounts support 1935. He was the seventh of nine children born to Hoi and Riew Sridokbuab. He attended schools in Hua Hin, completing his secondary education at Hua Hin Wittayalai School, and was remembered as an enthusiastic sportsman with a particular interest in Western boxing. His elder brother eventually took him to Thongthot Intharathat, proprietor of the Kingpetch gym on Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok. Intharathat supplied the surname by which he became famous, while “Pone” was reportedly adopted in memory of Major Pone Intharathat, his younger brother, a former member of the Free Thai movement who died during the Palace Rebellion of 1949.

No dependable bout-by-bout amateur record has survived, nor is there firm evidence that Kingpetch represented Thailand in major international amateur tournaments. Thai accounts describe him boxing locally before entering the Kingpetch stable, but they do not provide a verifiable amateur record or identify national amateur championships. It is therefore unsafe to construct a formal amateur career for him. His principal schooling came in the professional gym, where trainer Niyom Thongchit was among those associated with his development. Kingpetch was unusually tall for a flyweight, standing approximately 5ft 6½in, and the recognised professional records list him as orthodox, although at least one later reference describes him as a southpaw. Film and the majority of boxing records support the orthodox designation.

Kingpetch made his professional debut on 1 May 1954, knocking out Noknid Sorsor in the second round. The venue is not consistently identified in surviving records. He outpointed Saotong Torsor in July but lost a six-round decision to Suwan Napapon in February 1955. His progress was deliberate rather than spectacular, with most of his early contests taking place in Thailand over six rounds. By 1956 he was meeting Kunoi Vithichai, an experienced domestic rival, in a series of contests important to the Thai flyweight championship. Records disagree over the exact title sequence: some biographies claim that Kingpetch stopped Kunoi for the championship in April, whereas the surviving professional ledger records Kingpetch losing by seventh-round stoppage on 15 April before returning to knock Kunoi out in six rounds on 14 July and outpointing him over ten on 14 October. What is clear is that the rivalry established Kingpetch as Thailand’s leading flyweight.

On 6 January 1957, he advanced beyond domestic level by outpointing the Filipino Danny Kid over 12 rounds in Bangkok to win the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation flyweight title. He lost a 12-round non-title decision to Leo Espinosa in July but successfully defended his regional position against Japan’s Hitoshi Misako on 14 September. Victories over Dommy Ursua, Masaji Iwamoto and Cuban contender Manuel Armenteros followed. Kingpetch was not a destructive puncher, only nine of his 28 professional victories came inside the distance, but his height, reach and composure made him difficult to approach. He boxed from long range behind a useful left hand, moved sufficiently well to reset the distance and was capable of tying up shorter opponents when they reached his chest. His weaknesses were a tendency to concede ground under sustained pressure and, later in his career, inconsistent preparation and difficulty maintaining peak condition.

His opportunity against world flyweight champion Pascual Pérez came at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok on 16 April 1960. Pérez, Argentina’s 1948 Olympic champion, was an experienced and formidable professional who had held the championship since defeating Yoshio Shirai in 1954. He was also considerably shorter than Kingpetch. Before King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Queen Sirikit and a packed home audience, Kingpetch attempted to keep Pérez outside with his left hand and superior reach. Pérez forced his way close often enough to land heavily to head and body and opened a cut over the Thai’s right eye, but Kingpetch changed his tactics in the later rounds, boxed at longer range and used his speed to avoid being pinned down. The decision was divided: Thai judge Wong Hiranyalekha scored 148–137 and Nat Fleischer 146–140 for Kingpetch, while Argentine referee Lorenzo Torrealba had Pérez ahead 145–143. Kingpetch thereby became Thailand’s first world boxing champion, an achievement of national importance far beyond the narrow limits of the flyweight division.

Any suggestion that the result depended entirely upon home conditions was weakened by the rematch at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles on 22 September 1960. Kingpetch controlled Pérez more decisively and stopped him in the eighth round, the first stoppage defeat of the Argentine’s long professional career. He next defended in Tokyo on 27 June 1961 against the inexperienced but capable southpaw Mitsunori Seki. Seki began boldly and shook the champion, but Kingpetch’s greater knowledge at close quarters became decisive. The official split decision appeared misleadingly close: referee Chuer Chaksuraksa scored 147–139 and Nat Fleischer 147–138 for Kingpetch, while Hiroyuki Tezaki had Seki ahead 145–144. The Associated Press also made Kingpetch a clear winner at 147–139. On 30 May 1962, again at Tokyo’s Kokugikan, he retained the championship by unanimous decision over another Japanese southpaw, Kyo Noguchi. Those victories showed that Kingpetch could succeed away from Thailand and against contrasting styles.

His first reign ended at the same Tokyo venue on 10 October 1962. Nineteen-year-old Fighting Harada did not merely rush the taller champion; he entered behind a busy jab, moved his head and repeatedly brought a right over Kingpetch’s low left. Kingpetch was denied the measured distance upon which his boxing depended. A left hook hurt him badly in the sixth, and although he had brief success with straight punches in the seventh and ninth, Harada’s pace progressively exhausted him. In the eleventh the challenger drove him into a corner with successive rights and continued punching until Kingpetch sank against the turnbuckle. He was counted out at 2:50. After ten rounds the officials had Harada well ahead at 49–46, 49–41 and 50–38.

The return at Bangkok’s National Stadium Gymnasium on 12 January 1963 produced one of Kingpetch’s finest recoveries. More than 15,000 spectators watched Harada drop him for a count of three in the eighth round, but the Thai rallied through the final six rounds and regained the world championship by majority decision. An Associated Press card favoured Kingpetch 71–67, although the verdict was disputed in Japan and has remained controversial. When the World Boxing Council was formed the following month, Kingpetch was recognised as its inaugural flyweight champion in addition to holding World Boxing Association and Ring recognition. His second reign lasted only until 18 September. At Tokyo’s Metropolitan Gym, Hiroyuki Ebihara, a sharp and powerful southpaw, knocked him out in the opening round.

Once again Kingpetch reversed a severe defeat in Bangkok. He met Ebihara at Rajadamnern Stadium on 23 January 1964 and recovered the WBA, WBC and Ring championships by a 15-round split decision. The result made him the first boxer to win the world flyweight championship three times. The alternation between emphatic losses in Japan and decision victories in Thailand encouraged criticism, yet the achievement cannot be reduced to favourable geography. Kingpetch had already beaten Pérez decisively in Los Angeles and had defended successfully twice in Tokyo. His adaptability, patience and stamina over 15 rounds allowed him to alter the shape of rematches, even when he lacked the power to force an early conclusion.

Kingpetch made no intervening recorded appearance before defending against Italy’s Salvatore Burruni at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome on 23 April 1965. Burruni was an experienced European champion with more than 70 victories and maintained the steadier work rate over 15 rounds. He won a unanimous decision and took the WBA, WBC and Ring titles. Kingpetch was no longer operating consistently at his earlier level, and Thai reports from the latter part of his career refer to missed training, drinking, weight problems and disagreements with trainers and management. He returned in February 1966 and lost a split ten-round decision to Baby Lorona in Bangkok. His final contest took place in Phuket Province on 13 April, when he knocked out Kumanthong Yontarakit in four rounds. He announced his retirement on 30 May 1966, aged 31, with 28 victories, seven defeats and nine stoppage wins from 35 professional contests.

Kingpetch’s practical virtues were those of a tall, calculating flyweight rather than a relentless attacker. His left hand governed his best performances, allowing him to score while making shorter men cover additional ground. He was most effective when he could step back, re-establish his stance and meet an advancing opponent with straight punches. He possessed sound stamina and enough physical strength to work at close quarters, as he demonstrated against Seki, but aggressive fighters could hurry him into defensive errors. Harada overwhelmed him when allowed to sustain a rapid tempo, while Ebihara exposed him with concentrated first-round power. Kingpetch nevertheless showed an exceptional capacity to learn from defeat: he regained the championship from both men who had stopped him, something requiring more than favourable judging or home support.

Life after boxing was considerably less successful. Thai accounts state that much of his ring income was lost through unsuccessful business investments and that his drinking became heavy. His health deteriorated as he suffered from diabetes and later pneumonia. Reports of his death contain a significant date conflict. The International Boxing Hall of Fame and several modern records give 31 March 1982, but a contemporary United Press International dispatch dated 1 June reported that he had died the previous Monday night—31 May—from pneumonia and heart failure. Several Thai sources also give 31 May, making that the better-supported date. He was 47. Later Thai accounts add that he had choked during a family meal, leading to infection and blood poisoning while he was already seriously ill, although those particulars were not included in the original wire report.

His standing in Thailand survived the unhappy circumstances of his later years. Hua Hin erected a monument to him in 1992, and his statue and the surrounding Pone Kingpetch Park remain local landmarks where visitors leave floral garlands. The Sports Journalists Association of Thailand designated 16 April, the anniversary of his victory over Pérez, as Outstanding Athlete Day. In 2023 he was inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Kingpetch’s record was compact and occasionally uneven, but it contained nine recognised world-title contests, six victories at that level and three separate reigns as flyweight champion. More importantly for Thai boxing, his victory in 1960 established that a home-produced professional could reach the sport’s highest recognised championship and opened a path later followed by Chartchai Chionoi, Khaosai Galaxy and many others.