Samart Payakaroon: a true legend of Muay Thai

Born Samart Tiptarmai in 1962 in Chacherngsao Province in Thailand’s eastern region, he began training at the age of 11 under the guidance of his older brother Kongtoranee Payakaroon, who was also a professional fighter. Samart's first Muay Thai teacher was Yodtong Senanan (Kru Tui), who taught both Samart and Kongtoranee.

His fight career began in earnest in 1974 and after participating in a dozen fights in the provinces, Samart made his way to Bangkok to compete at Lumpinee Stadium in 1978 under the supervision of well-known promoter Songchai Rattanasuban. His exceptional skills and abilities quickly earned him widespread recognition.

Samart is a Muay Thai fighter with a brilliant tactical mind, making his fights a source of great enjoyment for his fans. His handsome appearance earned him the nickname “The Jade-Faced Tiger” ("Payak" means tiger in Thai).

What set Samart apart was his high fight IQ, lightning-quick reflexes, and outstanding ring vision. He was known for employing creative and unpredictable techniques that made him a unique fighter in the ring, especially his push kick.

However, one of his disadvantages was his lack of physical strength. If he didn’t train rigorously, he would face problems in the ring. Yet, despite being pushed to the brink of exhaustion on occasion, he still gave his opponents the fight of their lives. Even during the period when Samart was more focused on his music and acting career, he defeated some of the greatest fighters of his generation.

Samart achieved remarkable success during his Muay Thai career, becoming the Lumpinee Stadium champion in four different weight divisions: Pinweight (105 pounds), Junior Flyweight (108 pounds), Junior Bantamweight (115 lbs.), and Featherweight (126 lbs.) between 1980 and 1981.

Samart was so good that it became very difficult for him to find suitable sparring rivals in his chosen discipline and so started to look at other fighting genres.

In 1982 Samart transitioned to professional boxing, and in 1986 secured the WBC junior featherweight title by defeating Lupe Pintor of Mexico with a knockout in the fifth round.

He went on to successfully defend his title against Juan Meza, also from Mexico, earning him a fearsome reputation. When he dodged more than 20 challenging strikes and counterattacked with a direct punch to his opponent's chin, it led to a 12th-round knockout.

“Most Thai fans were impressed by the way I dodged punches in that fight, but I wasn’t happy with myself because I felt that my performance wasn't good. If I hadn't landed that punch, I would probably have been criticized for wanting the fight to go the full 12 rounds, but I had already given my best. At that time, I wasn't training as rigorously, and I took a long break from boxing," he said.

During that break, Samart no longer trained as diligently and started experiencing weight issues, which became evident in his second championship defence against Jeff Fenech from Australia. Forced to lose weight in a short time, fatigue and a lack of form set in. As a result, he suffered a TKO defeat in the fourth round.

Samart's significantly flawed form during the fight raised questions among many boxing fans, leading them to wonder if the match was fixed.

“I didn’t train much during that period because, at that point, I didn't have the desire to continue boxing. My career had turned to singing and acting. But on the day of the fight, I decided to go ahead. I didn't think about winning or losing because if I did, I would have trained harder than that," he explained

About a year after losing the championship, Samart returned to Muay Thai fighting after two more international boxing matches. He still found success and defeated several prominent Thai boxers of the era. In 1988, Samart received the Outstanding Thai Boxer award from the Sports Writers Association of Thailand for his undefeated performance that year.

Then he was booked to fight against Wangchannoi Sor Palangchai. By then a popular figure in the entertainment industry, Samart neglected his training and suffered a brutal defeat. He subsequently announced his retirement from Muay Thai.

In 1993, Samart made a comeback to international boxing, and he had a remarkable year. He won five consecutive fights, showing great form. In 1994, he competed in the WBA Featherweight World Championship against Eloy Rojas, a Venezuelan boxer. Unfortunately, he lost by TKO in the 8th round. After that, Samart retired from the world of boxing.

Samart's Muay Thai record includes 150 fights, with 130 wins (30 by knockout), 18 losses, and 2 draws. His boxing record, meanwhile, includes 23 fights, with 21 wins (12 by knockout) and 2 losses (both by knockout). His career in both Muay Thai and boxing solidified his status as one of the most iconic fighters in the history of combat sports in Thailand.

“If you were to ask which I prefer between Muay Thai and international boxing, I would answer that I come from Muay Thai and prefer Muay Thai. This is because Muay Thai encompasses everything, including the push kick, kicking, punching, knee strikes, and elbow strikes – it's my favourite discipline," Samart said

In the entertainment industry, Samart's good looks and his reputation as a talented Muay Thai fighter opened doors for him in the world of music. He was invited to work in the music industry and produced several hit songs. Additionally, he had a successful career in modelling and acting, appearing in both television dramas and movies. His achievements were so significant that he received the Golden Doll Award for Best Actor in 1991.

Samart continues to be active in the entertainment industry, and he is periodically invited to serve as a Muay Thai trainer in various countries. He has also established his own Muay Thai camp under the name Samart Payakaroon Gym.