Q&A: WBO bantam champ Pungluang Sor Singyu

By Boxing Bob Newman
Credits Photos: OneSongchai Promotions –

Pungluang Sor Singyu recently captured the WBO bantamweight crown for the second time when he stopped Japanese contender Ryo Akaho in two rounds on August 7 in Ratchaburi, Thailand. The big punching Thai raised his record to 51-3, 35 KOs with the win. Pungluang took some time to talk with Fightnews about recapturing the crown, his past losses, fighting abroad and his future in the ring.
(A special thanks to Dr. Siraphop Ratanasuban of One Songchai Promotions for his assistance with translating for the champ!)

Pungluang, congratulations on regaining the WBO Bantamweight title. How does it feel to be a world champion for the second time?

I am very happy.

Did you expect to score such a quick KO against your recent foe Ryo Akaho in winning the belt again?

No, Ryo is a good boxer. I just got lucky.

I want to go back to your start in boxing. You turned professional at age 16. Did you take the traditional road for many Thai boxers and begin in Muay Thai?

Yes. I fought 60 fights professional Muaythai before I turned to professional boxing.

Why did you decide to convert over to “Western” style boxing?

The promoter gives me good money and promised to make me world champion, as long as I train well.

In becoming WBO champion twice- you’ve won a vacant belt both times. Do you follow your co-champions Shinsuke Yamanaka (WBC), Randy Caballero (IBF), Juan Carlos Payano (WBA) and if so, would you be interested in unifying with any of them, to try and be recognized as the best in the division?

I would like to fight close by my country such as Japan first. For far away country, I am not so sure I want to go. I prefer to fight in Thailand.

All three of your losses have been on the road (Stephane Jamoye- SD10 in Belgium, Paulus Ambunda- UD 12 in Namibia and Tomoki Kameda- KO by 7 in the USA). Do you blame the long distance travel as a factor in those defeats?

Yes, I don’t like to fight overseas much. I love my hometown family to cheer me. I want to build more experience while I fight in Thailand first.

Do you feel the two decision losses- one split in Jamoye’s hoe town and one close unanimous in Ambunda’s home town were fair or did you feel you did enough to win?

I feel I was a bad boy. I did not train well and didn’t get ready for those fights.

If the money is right, will you be willing to travel abroad for more fights or would you rather have several fights at home where you feel more comfortable?

I would like to have several more fights at home to be more comfortable first.

In the Kameda fight, the scores were dead even after six rounds, with each of you leading on one score card and a draw on the third. You were stopped in the seventh round. How frustrating was that loss in such a close fight?

Yes, I did not train well in that fight. I deserve to lose.

At 27 years old, you are relatively young, but have been fighting for eleven years and have had fifty four fights. Do you feel like you are slowing down at all, or do you still have many years to go?

I feel I am a very young champion. I have a bright future ahead of me. I am in a climbing up period now.

With a 65% knockout ratio, power seems to be a big part of your game. Do you rely on your power to win a fight or do you feel you are a complete boxer?

I think I am power boxer. I love to KO and get audiences excited.

What is next for you in your first defense of your second title reign?

It is up to my promoter Madame Pariyakorn Ratanasuban. I do my job by keep training.

Any final thoughts or words to your fans both at home in Thailand and around the world?

Thank you everyone for cheering for me. I will work hard and not let my boxing fans get disappointed.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/qa-wbo-bantamweight-champ-pungluang-sor-singyu-302627

Spirited Thai excites home fans with dominant two-round victory over Japanese fighter Akaho

Thailand’s Pungluang sor Singyu, left, in action against Japan’s Ryo Akaho. 

Pungluang sor Singyu stopped Ryo Akaho of Japan in the second round to reclaim the WBO bantamweight title in Ratchaburi yesterday.

In the fight for the vacant 118-pound division belt, the Thai did not waste his chance in the second round when he cornered and floored Akaho with a powerful right hook.

The stunning victory in front of his hometown fans made him a two-time champion.
In 2012, Pungluang, now 27, stopped AJ Banal in the ninth round to win the title, also for a vacant championship, in the Philippines.

“I am really happy and proud of myself, and to have made the fans happy,” said Pungluang after the bout.

“I promised them I would win the title and I did it.”

Pungluang is only Thailand’s third title holder at the moment with the other two being Amnat Ruenroeng (IBF flyweight) and Wanheng Meenayothin (WBC minimumweight).

Pungluang, who was stopped by Japan’s Tomoki Kameda in his second world title attempt last July, improved his record to 51 wins (31KOs) against three losses.

It was 29-year-old Akaho’s second loss and first by a knockout.

Pungluang’s manager Pariyakorn Rattanasuban said that she was relieved and happy to have another world champion.

“We made a lot of effort and spent more than 10 million baht to make the fight happen,” she said. “Pungluang deserves credit for his great win. He planned to study Akaho for four rounds but when the chance…

As the winner of a vacant title, Pungluang now has to face a mandatory bout in his first defence.

Pariyakorn confirmed that the fight will be held in Thailand.

“It will definitely take place in Thailand,” she said. “I have learned lessons from when he lost the title two years ago.”

After beating Banal in 2012, Pungluang flew to Namibia for his first and mandatory fight and lost to Paulus Ambunda.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/648572/pungluang-pounces-to-recapture-title

Photos: M 150 OneSongchai

Bantamweight Pungluang Sor Singyu (51-3, 35 KOs) knocked out Ryo Akaho (26-2-2, 18 KOs) in round two to regain the vacant WBO bantamweight title on Friday in Ratchaburi, Thailand. This bout was for the title stripped from Tomoki Kameda after he signed for a “unification” match with “regular” WBA champ Jamie McDonnell.

Pungluang previously won the belt in 2012 against AJ Banal, but lost it in his first defense to Paulus Ambunda.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/pungluang-regains-wbo-bantamweight-title-300894

Date:   Friday – August 7, 2015

VACANT WBO BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  Bangkok, Thailand

Promoter:  One Sunshine Promotions

Supervisor:   Leon Panoncillo

Referee:  Robert Byrd

Judges:  Adalaide Byrd; Chris Flores; Patrick Morley

Results:   Pungluang Sor Singyu regains the Vacant WBO Bantamweight Title knocked out Ryo Akaho in round two.

TV:

 Pungluang Sor Singyu, centre, is eyeing the vacant WBO bantamweight title.

Thai fighter says facing Japanese rival in Ratchaburi on Aug 7 in WBO title bout piling pressure 

Pungluang Sor Singyu made no effort yesterday to conceal his unease and openly acknowledged that he was under pressure while readying himself for the fight against Japan’s Ryo Akaho for the vacant WBO bantamweight title in Ratchaburi on Aug 7.

Pungluang, a former WBO champion who is ranked second in the division, claimed that boxing in front of his fans in Ratchaburi would not give him any real advantage over his opponent but will rather put him under more pressure.

“I am feeling the pressure a lot,” he said. “Everyone is suggesting that I have to win the title here,” said the fighter, who has so far sparred more than 100 rounds to prepare for the title bout.

“As for Akaho, we have studied his fights carefully. He is classic and very fast. What I can say is that he is not an easy opponent to beat.”

Pungluang (50-3-0, 34KOs) stopped AJ Banal in the ninth round to win the vacant title in the Philippines in October 2012.

However, in his first defence, he lost to Paulus Ambunda in Namibia in March 2013.

His manager Pariyakorn Rattanasuban said she had invested a lot of money to get the fight to be held in the country, but she was concerned about Pungluang’s fitness.

“I just hope he will be in a great shape for the fight and will not disappoint us,” she said. “I made a mistake last time by making him defend his title in Namibia even though he was not fit enough at the time.”

Akaho, who holds a record of 26-1-2 with 18KOs, is challenging for a world title for the second time after losing to then-champion Yota Sator in a WBC flyweight championship bout in 2012. The WBO title has been vacated by Tomoki Kameda of Japan.

On the undercard, veteran Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo will compete in the featherweight division for the last time before moving up to the super-featherweight class.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/634364/plucky-pungluang-feels-the-heat

Pungluang Sor Singyu and his manager Pariyakorn

Former world champion Pungluang Sor Singyu will take on Japan’s Ryo Akaho for the vacant WBO bantamweight title in Ratchaburi on Aug 7. 

The title was vacated by Tomoki Kameda, another Japanese fighter. Akaho (26-1-2, 18KOs) is the top challenger in the division while Pungluang (50-3-0, 34KOs) is ranked second.

Pariyakorn Rattanasuban, Pungluang’s manager, said although the bout would be held in Thailand her fighter would not enjoy a big advantage.

“All the judges are from the US,’’ she said.

Pungluang was crowned champion in October 2012 after stopping AJ Banal in the ninth round to win the vacant title in the Philippines.

He held the belt for only four months before losing to Paulus Ambunda in Namibia in March 2013.

The Ratchaburi native had a chance to win back the title last July but was stopped by Kameda in a mandatory fight in Las Vegas.

It will be Akaho’s second title shot after losing to compatriot Yota Sator in a WBC flyweight championship in 2012.

It is expected to be a tough assignment for Akaho as no Japanese boxers have won a world tile in Thailand.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/sports/626512/pungluang-to-fight-akaho-for-vacant-wbo-crown