Q&A: Pongsaklek Wonjongkam!

June 29, 2007

By Scott Mallon / Photos: Scott Mallon

Thailand’s Pongsaklek Wongjongkam has held the WBC flyweight belt for over six years, defending his title a record seventeen times while going undefeated for eleven years. He is Ring Magazine’s top ranked flyweight, and has suffered only two losses in his twelve-year career. Despite these accomplishments, the twenty-nine year old champion from the rice fields of Korat is more well-known for his choice of limited opposition than anything else. All is not as it seems though. With his career winding down, Wonjongkam and his camp now seem intent making two superfights in the next year; one with Japanese superstar Koki Kameda and the other with Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan.

On July 18, Wonjongkam travels to Tokyo, Japan to face WBC #6 ranked Daisuke Naito for the third time, a move which has once again drawn harsh criticism from the boxing community. According to his manager, Piyarat Vajiratonawongse, Wonjongkam will reportedly receive a whopping $400,000 for his fight with Naito - $150,000 more than what has been offered to fight Vic Darchinyan.

Earlier today, Vajiratonawongse confirmed that while in Japan for the Naito fight, he will attempt to secure a bout with Koki Kameda. If successful, the bout could be one of the most lucrative ever between two Asian fighters.

Vajiratonawongse also made it a point to tell Darchinyan’s promoter Gary Shaw, “We can start negotiating the fight after July 18. We have three fights scheduled this year and afterwards our schedule is open. The fight can be made - everything can be negotiated - there isn’t anything that is non-negotiable.”

You’re fighting Daisuke Naito on July 18 in Japan. How’s your training going and how is your weight?

My training is going well. My weight is really never a problem though and I’m always close to the flyweight limit, even when I’m not training for a fight.

You’ve beaten him twice already. There are rumors he’s getting another shot at your title because he’s told his manager if he can’t beat you this time, he’s retiring. Why are you fighting him again?

I believe he said if he loses he’ll retire. All I know is he wants to fight again. He is a difficult opponent but I will be well prepared for him.

So you like fighting in Japan. What about Koki Kameda? He a huge star in Japan and you’re a star in Thailand. A fight between you two would be a massive event in Japan. What is the chance of a fight between you two?

Yes, I like Japan and would be happy to fight him but this is up to my boss, promoter Virat Vajiratonawongse. Kameda came to Thailand about three years ago and trained here in the gym here. He’s a determined fighter who is an active boxer with good movement. His manners are one thing that’s not good though, but everything else is good.

Let’s move on to Vic Darchinyan. He has publicly stated he doubts your willingness to fight him. His promoter, Gary Shaw, has also stated that a $250,000 purse is not a problem and if you’re truly sincere about willing to fight his man, your promoter knows his phone number and can easily get in touch with him. Do you think a fight with Vic Darchinyan will ever happen?

I would like to fight him but this is for my manager and promoter to decide. Boxing is a business and it’s much easier for me to fight in Japan than America. Television rights, options, travel, money - I’m a fighter and my job is to train, to fight and to win. My promoter’s job is to take care of the business side of boxing.

Can’t you tell your promoter you want to make the fight though?

Like I said, this is my promoter’s job, not mine. I would like to prove myself to the fans in America and I’m sure a fight between Darchinyan and me would be exciting. The promoter is my boss though and like I said, he handles the business of my career. I’ll fight anyone he tells me to.

(It should be noted that in Thai culture, the fighter has little to no say in deciding who he fights. In most cases there are no written contracts between the fighter and his promoter and fighters rarely challenge their promoters’ and managers’ business practices. A fighter calling his own shots is a foreign concept to Thai fighters. Instead, they view themselves as an employee and the promoter as their boss.)

What do you think about Darchinyan as a fighter?

His style is a lot like Manny Pacquiao’s. He's strong and is a courageous fighter. Maybe after I finish with my obligations this year we can fight in the United States next year – if he doesn’t go up to the next weight division. I hope so.

There are fans out there who think you’re taking easy fights because you’re scared to fight the best in the division. Are you scared?

I’m not scared to fight anyone and will fight anyone. I always try to do my best when I fight. If I lose, I’m OKwith that because I know I will have tried my best.

You’ve fought at light-flyweight and flyweight, with the majority of your career spent at flyweight. Is there any chance you’ll move up in weight?

No, I don’t think so. Like I said, my weight is never a problem and this is a good weight for me.

Do you think you’re the best flyweight in boxing right now?

I don’t ever think I’m better than anyone. There are many, many good fighters in the division who have not had a chance to win a title. I don’t think about this – I just try to defeat who is put before me.

How important is making twenty defenses of your title?

(Laughing and shaking his head) I never think about how many times I’ve defended my title. I just think about winning each fight. I just think about winning and winning and winning. I don’t care about these kinds of things. If I break a record, good, if I don’t, it’s doesn’t matter.

If you could do one thing in boxing before you retire, what would it be?

I’d fight in America. I’d like to fight in America at least once before I retire.

Before you said you would retire after 20 defenses. What about now?

I don’t know. As long as I keep winning and I’m healthy, I’ll keep fighting.

What would you like to tell your fans outside of Thailand?

I would like them to know that if I have a chance to fight in America, I hope that after they see me fight, they will say they saw a great fight.

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Scott Mallon is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Rating Panel. He’s written and shot photos for HBO Sports, Boxing in Asia, Ring Magazine, Boxing Digest, Boxing News, The Fist, Muay Lok and more.

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