Payao Poontarat boxer

Payao Poontarat boxer
bouts
14
won
10
lost
4
draw
0
Status
inactive
Division
super flyweight
Debut
1981-10-04
Height
-
Reach
-
Age
49
Born
1956-10-18
Death
2006-08-13
Nationality
Thailand

Payao Poontarat (Thai: พเยาว์ พูนธรัตน์; RTGS: Phayao Phuntharat; October 18, 1956 – August 13, 2006) was a Thai boxer who, at the age of 18, won the bronze medal in the men's Light flyweight (-48 kg) category at the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was the first Thai athlete to win an Olympic medal in any sport.Below is the record of Payao Poontarat, a Thai light flyweight boxer who competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympics:Born in the village of Bang Sapan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phayao Poontarat came from a poor family. As a child, he sold flowers in the resort city of Pattaya to help support his younger siblings. Like many poor boys in Thailand, he took up Muay Thai, and he proved to be a gifted boxer. He switched to international boxing and won a place on the Thai Olympic team in 1976. Though he finished with a bronze medal, Phayao gained attention by defeating the 1972 Olympic gold medal winner, Gyogy Gedo, in the quarter finals. He trained hard for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but his hopes for a gold were ended by the United States led boycott over of the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Instead, he turned professional and on November 27, 1983 became WBC superflyweight world champion by defeating Rafael Orono of Venezuela in a split decision. In his first title defence, against Guty Espadas of Mexico, Phayao was behind on all the score cards, but saved his championship belt with a 10th-round knockout. Phayao was then challenged by Japan's Jiro Watanabe and agreed to meet him. When they met in Osaka on July 5, 1984 Phayao lost by a controversial 12-round decision. The World Boxing Council viewed the tape and ordered a rematch. It took place in November, with Phayao losing by a technical knockout in the 11th round.Giving up boxing, Phayao Poontarat became a Thai policeman with the rank of captain. He joined the Democrat Party and in 2001 was elected as member of parliament for his home-province.In 2002, he began to suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease is incurable. In 2006, Phayao died at the age of 48 at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. He was survived by his wife and several children.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1985-04-02 Kongtoranee Payakaroon W Bangkok LOST
Points
1984-11-29 Jiro Watanabe WWWWWW Prefectural Gymnasium, Kumamoto LOST
Technical knockout
1984-07-05 Jiro Watanabe WWWWWW Osaka-Jo Hall, Osaka LOST
Split-decision
1984-03-28 Guty Espadas WLWWWW Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok WIN
Technical knockout
1984-02-05 Tharhahin Boosetha debut Channel 7 Studios, Bangkok WIN
Technical knockout
1983-11-27 Rafael Orono WWWWWW Grand Palace Hotel, Pattaya WIN
Split-decision
1983-07-06 Ernesto Guevara WWWWDW Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok WIN
Technical knockout
1983-03-24 Juan Diaz LWWWLW Bangkok WIN
Points
1983-02-10 Alonzo Gonzalez LWWWLL Bangkok WIN
Points
1982-11-28 Kwang-Soo Lee LLLLL Bangkok WIN
KO
1982-10-10 Dan Pisanchai WWWWLW Bangkok WIN
KO
1982-05-08 Soon Chun Kwon WDWWWW Seoul LOST
Points
1982-03-21 Jimmy Boy DWWLWW Araneta Coliseum, Barangay Cubao, Quezon City WIN
KO
1981-10-04 Tito Abella LLLWWW Bangkok WIN
KO