1. Samart Popteeratham, known professionally as Samart Payakaroon, is a Thai former professional Muay Thai fighter, professional boxer, and entertainer.
17 Facts About Samart Payakaroon
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Samart Payakaroon is a former four-division Lumpinee Stadium champion and WBC World Super Bantamweight Champion, as well as the 1981 and 1988 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year, who was famous in the 1980s and 1990s.
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Samart Payakaroon has released several successful albums in Thailand and appeared in multiple films and tv shows.
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Samart Payakaroon's students include elite fighters such as Chalamchon SamartPrayakaroonGym.
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Samart Payakaroon began training Muay Thai at 10 years old after being introduced by his older brother, Manus Thipthamai.
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Samart Payakaroon possessed an extremely high ring IQ, with lightning quick reflexes, and excellent ring vision.
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Samart Payakaroon fought using creative techniques that were effective and unpredictable, even against elite competition in the 80s and 90s.
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Samart Payakaroon made a comeback in the 1990s and challenged unsuccessfully for another world title.
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Samart Payakaroon was named The Ring's Progress of the Year fighter for 1986.
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Samart Payakaroon now teaches Muay Thai and Boxing in Thailand.
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Between his two stints as boxing champion, Samart Payakaroon signed with a Grammy Entertainment winning label and released three albums.
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In 2000, Samart starred as a minor antagonist named Chartchai Payakaroon in A Fighter's Blues.
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Samart Payakaroon had a role in the 2001 Thai film, The Legend of Suriyothai.
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Samart Payakaroon had a major role in the French drama film, Fureur, and was in the 2004 film, The Bodyguard.
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Samart Payakaroon is considered to be the "Muhammad Ali" and "Sugar Ray Robinson" of Muay Thai.
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Samart Payakaroon's name holds prestige for followers of the sport to this day.
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Many modern day fighters, such as Saekson Janjira, Matee Jedeepitek, Kongnapa Kansaek Sor Ploenjit, Lookchang, and Nokweed all look up to Samart Payakaroon and aspire to be like him.