BOXING
Pongsaklek wins WBC boxer of decade award
WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam has been named the Boxer of the Decade while Kompayak Porpramuk's title fight against Mexico's Adrian Hernandez was the Most Dramatic Bout of the Year.
The World Boxing Council said Pongsaklek (83-3-2, 44KOs) was recognised for his great career featuring 26 championship bouts.
The Nakhon Ratchasima boxer is just one title bout away from Joe Lewis' record of 27 championship fights but is still well behind Julio Cesar Chavez' all-time record of 37 bouts.
Pongsaklek won the title in 2003 and made 17 successful defences before losing to Japan's Daisuke Naito in July 2007.
He regained the 112-pound belt in March 2010 with an impressive victory over Koki Kameda in Japan. Since then, he has defended the title four times and is expected to face challenger Sonny Boy Jaro of the Philippines in March.
Underdog Kompayak thrilled the fans in Bangkok when he stopped then WBC light-flyweight champion Hernandez last month.
WBC international secretary Edward Thangarajah, who nominated both Thais for the awards, said they deserved the recognition.
"Pongsaklek is the best boxer Thailand has ever produced," said the Sri Lankan.
"He has everything a great boxer needs _ ability, ambition and determination."
As for the Kompayak-Hernandez fight, he said that it was one of the most unpredictable and entertaining fights.
"It won the award because of its excitement."
Promoter Piyarat Wachirarattawongse said last year was a great year for his Petchyindee boxing camp and that he was not surprised by the awards given to his boxers.
Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko took the WBC Boxer of the Year award while the Comeback of the Year award went to Floyd Mayweather Jr who stopped Victor Ortiz in a welterweight bout.
The Bout of the Year was the fight between Americans Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto also in a welterweight bout.
Bangkok Post
