Nong-O Sit-Or vs Petchboonchu FA Group 2010

Nong-O Sit-Or just won Lumpini Stadium's Fighter of the Year award, which is about as prestigious as they get in the sport. He's had a dominant year, winning 9 fights and losing 1 to Saenchai. Last year, the award came down to a bout between him and Saenchai and Saenchai took the win by KO and the award. Nong-O is extremely talented, one of those rare fighters who's well rounded in nearly all aspects. He's also quite unique in that he's southpaw who fights orthodox and sometimes switches back, in a world of orthodox fighters switching to southpaw. Recently, he's developed quite a punching game on top of his smooth, powerful kicks.

Petchboonchu FA Group is the quintessential power clincher. He's traded the Lumpini 135 lb belt with Saenchai a couple of times and has been in perennial contendership for both the lightweight 135 lb and super-featherweight 130 lb belts along with Sagetdao Petpayatai and Nong-O for the past 2 years or so.

Nong-O won the super-featherweight from Petchboonchu by first round TKO in 2009. This fight is for a charity even co-promoted by Lumpini and Rajadamnern promoters so the belt is not on the line. Petchboonchu does have a chance to redeem himself, however, as Nong-O has beaten him twice before this by TKO.

Nong-O in red, Petchboonchu in blue.




Thanks to Banana821 for the upload. Hot Sizzle on the Muaythaifocus forums said that Nong-O seems to have Petchboonchu's number and I agree. While Petchboonchu has shown himself capable of besting Saenchai, I think the difference here is the size difference. Saenchai has the edge in finesse over any active fighter, but the extra height, reach, power, and particularly the sheer variety of attacks that Nong-O has seem to really throw a wrench in Petchboonchu's defenses. They are really quite different boxers, Nong-O being a sublime outside fighter and Petchboonchu one who scores big with knees in the clinch. Nong-O is no slouch in the clinch, however, and you can see him work out of it and even dump Petchboonchu at the end of the 2nd round.

This just seems to be a bad matchup for Petchboonchu. He comes out with a conscientiously tight guard but his inability to score at a distance and difficulty in powering into a clinch makes him sloppy in coming forward. This makes him predictable and it is precisely when he is closing the distance for the clinch in the third round that Nong-O's devastating right hooks catch him. The clinch was Petchboonchu's only way of winning this bout. Nong-O had the wherewithal and the tools to neutralize that set of weapons whereas Petchboonchu was completely outmatched at Nong-O's preferred distance.