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Sanchai Sor Kingstar
Interview August 2005
Iby Rob Cox
Sanchai Sor Kingstar is widely regarded to be
the most talented Muaythai fighter in Thailand
today. With lightening fast reflexes and incredible
skills, Sanchai rarely gets the opportunity to
fight without having to give his opponent a weight
advantage, if he does get to fight at a higher
weight it is usually a weight division or two
above his best weight.
Hailing from Mahasarakham province in Northeast
Thailand, Sanchai started out in his Muaythai
career at the tender age of 8 and quickly made
a name for himself winning several Northeast Thailand
championship titles. Sanchai was taken under the
wing of former Muaythai star Somrak Khamsing and
went to train and fight in Bangkok under Sukonesongchai
promotions where he got his chance to shin against
some of the best boxers in the game. Sanchai shone
under Somrak’s guidance and Sukonesongchai’s promotional
prowess. Winning the Lumphini title at 115 pounds
from Nungsiam Fairtex and then the 118 pound title
from Ponpitak Petchudomchai. Sanchai lost the
118 pound title to Nungubon Sitlertchai, but promptly
won it back in his very next fight. In 1999 Sanchai
got the vote from the Sportswriter’s of Thailand
as their fighter of the year. Now aged 25 Sanchai
is still very much at the top of his game. After
switching promoters and now fighting under the
Sukpetchyindee banner, Sanchai has also got the
prospect of more fights lined up. His next fight
was scheduled to be against Kongpipop Petchyindee
on the 16th of August with Sanchai giving up a
five pound weight advantage to Kongpipop. Unfortunately
Kongpipop had to pull out, but this fight is now
rescheduled for the 6th of September.
Muaythai Online managed to catch up with Sanchai
recently during his preparation for Kongpipop
and ask him a few questions.
MTO: How and why did you get into the sport?
Sanchai: Through watching one of the older kids
in my village. I loved to watch him fight and
couldn't wait to get in the ring myself.
MTO: How many fights have you had now and what
is your record?
Sanchai: too many to remember I'm afraid but I
would say over 200 fights.
MTO: What's your favourite style of fighter to
come up against.
Sanchai: I like to fight boxers with the same
style as mine, technical fighters.
MTO: O.k, what is your least favourite style
to come up against then?
Sanchai: I don't opponents that are taller and
strong in the clinch.
MTO: Who has been your toughest opponent so far
in your career?
Sanchai: Thongchai Tor Silachai
MTO: Who has been your most common opponent?
Sanchai: NongB Kiatyongyuth with 5 fights 4 wins
and one loss and Attachai Por Samranchai also
with 5 fights with 4 wins and one draw.
MTO: Attachai now trains alongside you here,
how does that feel?
Sanchai: It’s no problem we became good friends
outside of the ring already.
MTO: Have you made any other friendships with
former opponents?
Sanchai: yes I'm good friends with Isorasak Jor
Rachadakhon and also with Khunpinit Kiattawan.
MTO: Do you have anyone fighter that you have
looked up to ad has inspired you in your career?
Sanchai: Yes Somrak Khamsing my manager
MTO: How long have you been managed by Somrak?
Sanchai: Since I first came to Bangkok to fight
MTO: Who would you most like to fight right now?
Sanchai: I don't really care who is in front of
me to be honest, I just want the chance to fight
regularly.
MTO: Would you like the chance to fight overseas?
Sanchai: yes I've never fought abroad and would
love to get an opportunity to do so
MTO: What fights stick out in your mind for you
as some of your best fights?
Sanchai: one of the fights with NongB which had
a 800,000 baht side bet on it and my last fight
against Singdam, in which I only trained properly
for 3 days before, due to a leg injury I struggled
with before hand.
MTO: What’s the best tip you have received from
the gamblers post fight?
Sanchai: 30,000 baht when I beat Rambojew
MTO: You have switched promoters and are fighting
under Sukpetchyindee promotions now, how is that
going?
Sanchai: It’s going good, they have promised me
regular fights which is what I want
MTO: How do you feel about having to give up
5 pounds in weight to Kongpipop for your next
fight.
Sanchai: the difference between us doesn't really
bother me, just the making the weight of 124 pounds.
It’s hard to make the weight now due to it being
the rainy season
MTO: What would you say was your best fight weight?
Sanchai: 125 pounds
MTO: How long do you see yourself continuing
to fight for?
Sanchai: For as long as I can and as long as I
have opponents. .As a technical fighter my body
hasn't taken too much damage so I feel I have
few more years left in the sport.
MTO: Do you train specifically to match your
opponent and study them before, or just train
the same for every fight?
Sanchai: we will always work on ways to beat the
opponents style beforehand. For example in my
last fight with Singdam we worked on coming in
low in the clinch and locking my arms around his
waist, after losing out the first time we fought
by trying to clinch around his neck.
MTO: You had a spell fighting under international
boxing rules, how was that?
Sanchai: to be honest I didn't enjoy it too much
MTO: What was your record under these rules?
Sanchai: I had 5 fights and 5 wins and won the
P.A.B.A 126 pound championship belt
MTO: Would you consider going back to fight under
these rules?
Sanchai: Yes definitely, but it would depend very
much on who the promoter was and how much money
was on offer.
MTO: After you finally hang up your gloves and
retire from boxing, what do you see yourself doing
in the future?
Sanchai: I'm not really sure to be honest, I'm
just concentrating right now on fighting as much
as I can and saving as much money as I can for
the future.
MTO: What about your family do they support you
and come and see you fight?
Sanchai:My father sometimes comes and watches,
he drives a taxi in Bangkok and will come and
watch some of the big fights. My Mother doesn't
come much though and lives back in Mahasarakham.
I also have a younger sister.
MTO: Are you married yet?
Sanchai: yes and I have a four year old son.
MTO: Would you like your son to fight in the
future?
Sanchai: If it was truly in his heart I would
support him, but I wouldn't push him towards it
in any way as I know how hard a life it is.
MTO: Do you have any interests outside of boxing?
Sanchai: yes I like to play and watch football
MTO: Do you follow any particular team or player?
Sanchai: Yes I like Real Madrid and Ronaldo
MTO: Finally what advice would you give to any
of the readers overseas as to how they can become
an exceptional fighter like yourself?
Sanchai: Firstly it has to be in your heart. You
have to be determined. I always set myself goals
and try to beat them all the time. If I go for
a run I set it for 10 kilometres and try to run
11 or 12 and refuse to be beat when I feel tired
at the 8 Kilometre mark. I apply this attitude
to all my training. When it comes to technique,
work on it over and over again until you have
mastered it. The most important thing for me is
technical sparring, I always tried to do as much
as possible throughout my career and think it
should be the most important part of any ones
training. You should try and spar with as many
people as you can, spar in a controlled manner
so you are learning not just using brute strength.
When you get to a good level always look for fighters
better than you to work with and learn from. When
I was coming up I used to spar as much as I could
with Somrak and Robert Gannorasing and Wanwiset
Gannorasing who were some of the biggest names
in Muaythai at the time. This helped shape me
into the fighter I am today
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