Kunoi Vithichai
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Kunoi Vithichai (; November 6, 1933 – January 3, 2008) was a Thai former
professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...
. He fought in the
flyweight Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing up to and including 51 kg (112 lb) for a title fight. Professional boxing The flyweight division was the last of boxin ...
division from 1954 to 1960.


Biography and career

Kunoi was born on November 6, 1933, in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
's
Yaowarat Yaowarat Road (, , ; ) in Samphanthawong District is the main artery of Bangkok's Chinatown. Modern Chinatown now covers a large area around Yaowarat and Charoen Krung Road. It has been the main centre for trading by the Chinese community si ...
neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...
to
overseas Chinese Overseas Chinese people are Chinese people, people of Chinese origin who reside outside Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). As of 2011, there were over 40.3 million overseas Chinese. As of 2023, there were 10.5 milli ...
immigrants living in Thailand. He had the birth name in
Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
"Aeayuh Sae-heng" (เอี้ยหยู แซ่เฮ้ง). He fought under the names "Kimyuh Vithichai" (กิมหยู วิถีชัย) and "Kunoi Vithichai" under Vithichai Boxing Gym by Chit Ampongsin as a trainer. He started with
Muay Thai Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...
by fighting regularly at
Rajadamnern Stadium Rajadamnern Stadium (; ), also spelled ''Ratchadamnoen'', is a sporting arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Along with Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Rajadamnern is one of the two main stadiums for modern Muay Thai. It hosts fights every Monday, Wednesday, ...
and later switched to professional boxing. He fought
Pone Kingpetch Pone Kingpetch (, , ), born Mana Seedokbuab (, , ; February 12, 1935 – March 31, 1982), was a Thai professional boxer and three time Undisputed World Flyweight Champion. Early life Pone Kingpetch (born Mana Sidokbuap) was the seventh of nine ...
, Thailand's first boxing world champion, three times in 1956. In the first fight, he won by
TKO A technical knockout (TKO) is a professional fighting term. TKO may also refer to: Sports * TKO, the name of a professional wrestling move referring to either the cutter or stunner variant * TKO Group Holdings, a combat sports company Music Ar ...
(Pone's brows were cut since the fifth round) in the seventh round and won the Rajadamnern Stadium flyweight title. He was defeated in the second fight by sixth-round knockout to the ground in front of
Lumpinee Park Lumphini Park (, , ), also Lumpini or Lumpinee, is a 360 rai () park in Bangkok, Thailand. The park offers rare open public space, trees and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent boats. Paths ...
. In the last fight, he was defeated by points decision over the 10 rounds, losing the Rajadamnern Stadium flyweight championship. Later, he had three unsuccessful attempts at the
OPBF The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) is a professional boxing organization that sanctions title fights in the Asian and Pacific region. History Oriental boxing started in the Philippines in 1946 after the Spanish-American War. Whi ...
flyweight title. He also had two special fights against
Chartchai Chionoi Chartchai Chionoi (; ) a.k.a. Chartchai Laemfapha (; ) or birth name Naris Chionoi (; ; October 10, 1942 – January 21, 2018) was a Thai professional boxer, WBC world champion and WBA world champion in the flyweight division. He took the WBC ...
before his retirement in 1962. Kunoi was a boxer with an aggressive fighting style, many times fighting opponents from a bigger
weight class Weight classes are divisions of competition used to match competitors against others of their own size. Weight classes are used in a variety of sports including Rowing (sport), rowing, Weightlifting#Weightlifting sports, weight lifting, and especi ...
than him. After Pone Kingpetch became world flyweight champion, he stated in an interview that Kunoi Vithichai was his best opponent, as opposed to Pascual Pérez or
Fighting Harada Masahiko Harada (born April 5, 1943), better known as Fighting Harada, is a Japanese former professional boxer. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the NYSAC, WBA, and ''The Ring'' undisputed flyweight titles from 1962 ...
.''แชมป์โลกขวัญใจชาวไทยคนแรก รุ่นฟลายเวท 'เดอะริง' ''. "22 แชมป์โลกชาวไทย" นิตยสารคนเด็ด (เฉพาะกิจพิเศษ) โดย "ชายพจน์": ตุลาคม 38 หน้า 4-11.


Retirement and death

After retirement, he worked as a taxi driver for a while. Later, he worked as a driver for the Daily News newspaper and
Charoen Pokphand The Charoen Pokphand Group Company, Ltd. (CP) (; ) is a Thai conglomerate based in Bangkok. It is Thailand's largest private company and the largest privately held Royal Warrant holder of the Thai Royal Family. The company describes itself as hav ...
Company (CP). In the boxing community, he was a trainer for three Thai boxers who later became world champions:
Saensak Muangsurin Boonsong Mansri (; 13 August 1950 – 16 April 2009), known professionally as Saensak Muangsurin (), was a Thai professional Muay Thai fighter and professional boxing, boxer. He was a Lumpinee Stadium#Super Lightweight Championship, Lumpinee Stad ...
,
Napa Kiatwanchai Napa Kiatwanchai (born July 27, 1967) is the former Lineal and WBC strawweight champion from Nakorn Rachasima (Korat) province, Thailand. Career He was born in a Thai-Chinese family in Nakhon Ratchasima and turned professional in 1987. He star ...
and
Muangchai Kittikasem Nattawut Jantaweemol (, born 11 November 1968), later Muangchai Jantaweemol (), known professionally as Muangchai Kittikasem (), is a Thai former professional boxer who competed between 1988 and 1999. He is the first Thai to be a world champion ...
. He had four children: three sons and one daughter. His daughter, Busaba "TaNgaew" Mahattapong, was a famous and very popular
Channel V Thailand Channel Thailand was a Thai music television channel. In August 2008, Channel Thailand moved studio and office from Sukhumvit Road, Sukhumvit 49/12 to Siam Discovery on 6th floor. Channel Thailand ended its exclusive broadcasting ...
's VJ in the 90s. Kunoi died on January 3, 2008, from
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
that lasted more than four years at 74 years old. His official boxing record is 8–10–0 (6KOs). However, his record from his personal account is 77–14–4.''อำลาอาลัย กู้น้อย วิถีชัย อดีตแชมป์ 2 เวที คู่ปรับ โผน กิ่งเพชร''. หนังสือพิมพ์สยามกีฬา. ปีที่ 23 ฉบับที่ 8343. วันที่ 6 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2551 หน้า 27.


Title and honour

*Rajadamnern Stadium Flyweight Champion (112 lbs) (1956) *Victory Jacket from Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vithichai, Kunoi Deaths from Alzheimer's disease 1933 births 2008 deaths Kunoi Vithichai Boxing trainers Kunoi Vithichai Flyweight boxers Kunoi Vithichai Kunoi Vithichai Kunoi Vithichai Deaths from dementia in Thailand