Saen Sor Ploenchit
Saen Sor Ploenchit is a Thai former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2003. He held the WBA flyweight title from 1994 to 1996.
Early life
Sor Ploenchit was born as Somchai Chertchai in Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani province. Due to poverty, he had to take on various jobs, from carrying water for one baht per bucket to helping his family sell damaged and discarded fruits at low prices at Talat Si Mum Mueang, the largest wholesale fruit market in his hometown, Rangsit.He became a boxer as a child, starting with Muay Thai under the names "Superneng Loh-ngoen" and "Doenna Loh-ngoen", before turning to professional boxing in 1990 with help from Songchai Rattanasuban.
Boxing career
On February 13, 1994, he defeated David Grimán in Chachoengsao province to claim the world championship title, which he successfully defended several times against notable opponents such as Jesús "Kiki" Rojas, Aquiles Guzmán, Kim Yong-kang, and Danny "Bazooka" Núñez. The most significant defense came on October 17, 1995, when he TKO'd Hiroki Ioka, a former WBC strawweight and WBA junior-flyweight world champion, in the 10th round at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan. After the bout, King Bhumibol Adulyadej sent a royal congratulatory letter to him and his team through the Thai Consulate in Osaka. He went on to retain the title through three more matches, including a notable victory over Leo Gámez, before eventually losing it to José Bonilla, a Venezuelan contender.He later switched stable, joining Wirat Wachirarattanawong, and moved up to super-flyweight in hopes of becoming a world champion once again.
His final fight was in late 2002, a loss by TKO in the 6th round to Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, a Japanese former two-time WBC bantamweight world champion.