Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao’s first major world title came against one of Thailand’s beloved stars.
Manny Pacquiao is set to make his highly-anticipated return to the ring to face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title on July 19th in Las Vegas. It will be Pacquiao’s first professional boxing match since a loss to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.
Years before Pacquiao became a global superstar in boxing, he was fighting and scrapping for relevance in regional fights in the Philippines. He won his first 11 fights and quickly became one of the most hyped prospects in boxing in the 1990s.
But Pacquiao’s starpower reached a new level when he took on one of Thailand’s
Manny Pacquiao knocked out Thai legend Chatchai Sasakul with one punch for first major world title
Pacquiao faced what was at the time the toughest test of his boxing career against 34-fight veteran Chatchai Sasakul in December 1998. Sasakul enjoyed multiple WBC flyweight title reigns and is regarded as one of the best fighters in Thailand combat sports history.
Sasakul entered the Pacquiao fight on a 13-fight unbeaten streak and two successful WBC flyweight title defenses. But when they squared off in the ring, it was Pacquiao that showcased skill and precision beyond his experience level.
Pacquiao frustrated Sasakul in the early rounds with his speed and defensive boxing, leading Sasakul to repeatedly whiff with his combinations. Pacquiao started to ramp up the pace in Round 7, wobbling Sasakul with a right hand and leaving the WBC flyweight titleholder in deep trouble.
In Round 8, Pacquiao capped off his remarkable performance in Phuttamonthon with a one-punch knockout that left Sasakul faceplanting on the canvas.
Watch Pacquiao’s knockout below.
The win handed Pacquiao the WBC flyweight title, which he’d defend against Gabriel Mira in 1999 by knockout. He made the full-time move out of the weight class shortly after his 21st birthday and never returned to the division after a series of harsh weight cuts.
While Pacquiao’s leave from the flyweight division ended up paying big dividends in his career going forward, his win over Sasakul put him in the global spotlight at a time when Asia was looking for its next boxing superstar.
Manny Pacquiao and Chatchai Sasakul are two of Asia’s greatest boxing legends
Despite the loss to Pacquiao, Sasakul went on to win 19-straight fights before a loss to Kuniyuki Aizawa in December 2005. He retired with a 63-4-1 professional boxing record with 38 knockout victories.
Pacquiao will look to turn back the clock when he faces Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship next month. Before announcing his retirement following the Ugas loss, Pacquiao won three of his last four fights, including decision wins over Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.
Sasakul retired after a one-punch knockout win over Chaiwirat Rongthaisong in November 2008.