Best MT fighter of the current generation?

[Kanka]

I guess most people saw Tawanchai as the P4P top fighter in muay thai last year since he had a pretty amazing record that year. But... before his recent winning streak his accomplishments at lighter weight classes were just good, not outstanding.

In my personal opinion being consistently sucessful in several weight classes is huge.

Panpayak has one of the best resumés for sure, but his 3 recent KO losses and losses against Muangthai and Yodlekpet makes me doubt his abilities at over 130 lbs.

Sangmanee is a pretty strong candidate. He has fought pretty much everyone and even though he had a losing streak, is 0-3 against Thaksinlek, 0-3 against Yodlekpet he has been succesful at pretty much every weight class.

What do you guys think?

Feel free to have your own criteria of who belongs to the current generation and what makes someone the best fighter... I prefered not to include Saenchai, Singdam, Nong-O and Yodwicha since i feel in the competitive muay thai scene they're from the past but feel free to name any fighter you want.

 

[Kim Jong Un]

Mike Perry #platinumbless

But for real maybe Petmorakot, he won a stadium title at 105 lbs and went on to beat Petrosyan at 154 lbs and everyone in between. Kinda like a Manny Pacman situation.

 

[Julius_Caesar]

10 years ago I would of said Saenchai but now days its harder to answer. Pretty subjective. Its also a bit complicated because are we talking about stadium muaythai or international muaythai? Yes there is a difference and I've brought this up on here before.

Top guys that fight out of Lumpinee and Raja are some of the most skillful fighters in the world just like top Olympic level amateur boxers but like what we saw last weekend with that 2 time cuban amateur gold medalist (Robeisy Ramirez) who had his pro debut and lost to a guy who was 4 - 2 or Panpayak with all his success in the stadiums yet gets slept in Thai Fight or like those kung fu street fights people used to have in the olden days in the back streets of HongKong and 1 comes out on top yet might get slept when a western boxer shows up because he came with something they've never seen before. Different types of styles, pacing, rhythms & judging all play a role and fighters who can adjust with their muaythai tools and consistently stay at the top within all those areas (even if you argue some of those opponents are not as skilled as stadium guys) take it for me. That's what made Saenchai great. You put him in there with a variety of opponents and you see a consistent dominance.

In the stadiums many of the opponents fight in a similar way. Of course there are different styles but a specific fighter can master that environment because all the years of experience but might not be able to adjust when he's put in there with someone who bounces around like Andy Souwer for example.

I like Superlek. He has shown to do well against a variety of styles in the stadiums and so far has looked good internationally but we still havent seen much of him in that area so dont wanna speak too soon. Tawanchai could be another possibility but once again I'd like to see how he will do in Onefc against different styles. Other names you can mention but at the moment its a hard question to answer.

Remember this thread is about the best muaythai fighter and what I personally feel makes the best well rounded muaythai fighter. Not just best muaythai fighter based off their success in the stadiums. Petchboonchu did well in the stadiums by constantly clinching and throwing half hearted knee slaps to his opponents mid section some of which look like they're causing 0 damage followed by a cheer from the crowd not because its exciting but a mix of thai whisky and the possibility of winning a bet. That wouldnt work in every muaythai environment.

 

[Kanka]

Mike Perry #platinumbless

But for real maybe Petmorakot, he won a stadium title at 105 lbs and went on to beat Petrosyan at 154 lbs and everyone in between. Kinda like a Manny Pacman situation.

Yeah i also thought of Petmorrakot and Yodwicha. Good candidates but maybe not so actual right now... idk

 

[anorak]

Rungnarai takes some beating for me if base just on stadium Muaythai, forget the bullshit political decision to strip him of the Sportswriters award, because he got stopped by Yothin after the award had already been announced. The Yothin fight was at 119 lbs!!! He just defended his Lumpini 115 lb belt, fighting at 112.5 lbs, beating one of the other contenders and current Rajadamnern champion comfortably and can still fight at 111, fought and beat fighters across a wide range of promotions and in the year of the award fought right from 112 up to 118. None of the others came close to doing that and Tawanchai never really beat any names of note outside of Sangmanee and often had a size advantage over his opponents.

 

[Kanka]

10 years ago I would of said Saenchai but now days its harder to answer. Pretty subjective. Its also a bit complicated because are we talking about stadium muaythai or international muaythai? Yes there is a difference and I've brought this up on here before.

Top guys that fight out of Lumpinee and Raja are some of the most skillful fighters in the world just like top Olympic level amateur boxers but like what we saw last weekend with that 2 time cuban amateur gold medalist (Robeisy Ramirez) who had his pro debut and lost to a guy who was 4 - 2 or Panpayak with all his success in the stadiums yet gets slept in Thai Fight or like those kung fu street fights people used to have in the olden days in the back streets of HongKong and 1 comes out on top yet might get slept when a western boxer shows up because he came with something they've never seen before. Different types of styles, pacing, rhythms & judging all play a role and fighters who can adjust with their muaythai tools and consistently stay at the top within all those areas (even if you argue some of those opponents are not as skilled as stadium guys) take it for me. That's what made Saenchai great. You put him in there with a variety of opponents and you see a consistent dominance.

In the stadiums many of the opponents fight in a similar way. Of course there are different styles but a specific fighter can master that environment because all the years of experience but might not be able to adjust when he's put in there with someone who bounces around like Andy Souwer for example.

I like Superlek. He has shown to do well against a variety of styles in the stadiums and so far has looked good internationally but we still havent seen much of him in that area so dont wanna speak too soon. Tawanchai could be another possibility but once again I'd like to see how he will do in Onefc against different styles. Other names you can mention but at the moment its a hard question to answer.

Remember this thread is about the best muaythai fighter and what I personally feel makes the best well rounded muaythai fighter. Not just best muaythai fighter based off their success in the stadiums. Petchboonchu did well in the stadiums by constantly clinching and throwing half hearted knee slaps to his opponents mid section some of which look like they're causing 0 damage followed by a cheer from the crowd not because its exciting but a mix of thai whisky and the possibility of winning a bet. That wouldnt work in every muaythai environment.

I don't know what would be different in an international setting... you don't become the best by beating guys that aren't the best. Who would the international guys to beat at 130 lbs be in your opinion? Maybe it's more important NOT to lose to some lesser fighter rather than about the wins proving something.

 

[UWanaPlayDaGame]

I tend to think of Panpayak, Sangmanee and Superlek as a top three of the past ~5 years. Sangmanee has had the highest highs and the lowest lows (out of these three); Panpayak and Superlek are just super solid and have been elite forever. This could be due to not following lower weight classes real close. Haven't been following Rungnarai as closely as he deserves.

 

[Cocakillbana]

10 years ago I would of said Saenchai but now days its harder to answer. Pretty subjective. Its also a bit complicated because are we talking about stadium muaythai or international muaythai? Yes there is a difference and I've brought this up on here before.

Why is it hard to answer (using your thinking)?

If stadium MT and international MT are so different, yet seemingly of equal significance to you, all that should do is further justify Saenchai as the best, as he far and away has the best international MT accomplishments of any fighter of this generation.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Spare me your midgetweights @anorak, the real King is Smokin' Jo Nattawut and its not even close. All these other guys fold under international competition, while NattaGOAT was groomed in it.

 

[Cocakillbana]

I don't know what would be different in an international setting... you don't become the best by beating guys that aren't the best. Who would the international guys to beat at 130 lbs be in your opinion? Maybe it's more important NOT to lose to some lesser fighter rather than about the wins proving something.

And it needs to be noted that international MT is practically open to all fighters across the world, but, as far as Thais go, is very much based on quota and who has good management/connections. Conversely, stadium MT at a good level is a circuit of fighters with proven ability.

Basically, one doesn't have to be a particularly good fighter to fight (say) Saenchai on an international show, but you would have to be a good fighter to fight him on a stadium show.

 

[Cocakillbana]

I'd go Panpayak

He was a fairly dominant fighter from 105-126 and typically beat the best fighters along the way.

Detkart
Rengsak X2
Sarawut
Jomhod
Wanchalong (utterly dominated a version of Wanchalong that was near his best)
Ponakrit
Suakim X2 (dropped him with a head kick)
Prajantchai
Sam-A X2
Superlek X4
Kaonar X 3-4
Chalam
Petuthong
Sangmanee
Saeksan

Bunch of other good wins as well, and some against fighters who would later go on to become more familiar names.

Also think Prajantchai was one of the best P4P; I reckon fought up in weight a lot and was naturally smaller on top of that.

 

[JB007]

What happen to prajanchai? He suddenly stopped fighting...

 

[anorak]

What happen to prajanchai? He suddenly stopped fighting...

been fighting amatuer boxing

 

[Mtlguy]

Panpayak for Thai's, savvas for farang

 

[SuperLuigi]

been fighting amatuer boxing

Any rumors he will return?

 

[Julius_Caesar]

I'd go Panpayak

Here's the thing. I love Panpayak and although I agree he's one of the best today he has an obvious weakness which is getting knocked out. I remember him also having issues in the clinch against Saen.

Now once again I dont wanna talk too soon because anything can happen in the future and I dont want people to come back to this comment ( @Snubnoze707 ) if Superleks career starts to go downhill from this point but from what we've seen from Superlek so far can you name me an obvious weakness he has? What is his Kryptonite? He handles aggressive fighters well. He handles Muay Khao's (Clinchers) well. Muay Tae's (kickers), Femurs and so far he's looked exceptional against foreigners who come with a different rhythm, pace and style. Yes he has lost to Panpayak (and beaten him) in competitive fights but they all lose. This is what happens when the best constantly fight the best. So what I am asking is, is it as easy as pointing out some of the guys Panpayak has beaten (under a specific type of muaythai environment that has been influenced by the gamblers) and choosing him as the best? Isn't it deeper than that or am I talking nonsense? Would Panpayak beat someone like Haggerty in Yokkoa or Onefc? How would he do in the golden era which Samart has said is very different to how the stadiums are today? So many questions...

 

[anorak]

I tend to think of Panpayak, Sangmanee and Superlek as a top three of the past ~5 years. Sangmanee has had the highest highs and the lowest lows (out of these three); Panpayak and Superlek are just super solid and have been elite forever. This could be due to not following lower weight classes real close. Haven't been following Rungnarai as closely as he deserves.

yeh its difficult to follow everyone, I just realised after this was about fighters of this generation, I was basing my post just on last year lol

 

[JB007]

This generation would be referring from which year to year?

 

[Kanka]

This generation would be referring from which year to year?

I don't know, that is subjective. I used to think Pet U Thong as one of the best fighters together win the names mentioned by @UWanaPlayDaGame thers but it seems like he has declined recently.

Obviously guys like Rungkit and Kaonar are doing quite well now but Rungkit hasn't been around for as long as the other names mentioned and while Kaonar has been doing well a long time, his record isn't as good as some of the other guys IMO. Another guy Yodwicha had a great record but after 2016 he has been fighting easier competition so wouldn't count him in.

That's just how i personally view it.

 

[JB007]

I don't know, that is subjective. I used to think Pet U Thong as one of the best fighters together win the names mentioned by @UWanaPlayDaGame thers but it seems like he has declined recently.

Obviously guys like Rungkit and Kaonar are doing quite well now but Rungkit hasn't been around for as long as the other names mentioned and while Kaonar has been doing well a long time, his record isn't as good as some of the other guys IMO. Another guy Yodwicha had a great record but after 2016 he has been fighting easier competition so wouldn't count him in.

That's just how i personally view it.

Yodwicha is the man!

Quite an impressive performance in the Thai circuit and improve his boxing drastically, changing his style to fit the international scene.

Above 70kg, I would go for Yodwicha.