Napa Kiatwanchai: Boxing Career and Notable Fights
Thai boxer Napa Kiatwanchai became WBC minimumweight champion in 1988 after a closely matched rivalry with Japan’s Hiroki Ioka.
A rivalry that led to the title
Kiatwanchai first challenged Ioka in June 1988, when their 12-round title fight was scored a draw and Ioka retained the belt. In their November rematch, Kiatwanchai won a majority decision to claim the WBC minimumweight championship. He made two defenses before losing the title to Jum-Hwan Choi in November 1989.
Kiatwanchai later moved up to challenge WBC light-flyweight champion Humberto González. The September 1992 bout ended in the second round when González knocked him out; González retained the WBC light-flyweight championship. That defeat is one part of a career which also included a genuine world championship reign and two defenses.
Further career results
His meetings with Hiroki Ioka form the central thread of the reign. Their first title contest in June 1988 ended in a draw, leaving Ioka champion. Napa won their November rematch by majority decision, then defeated John Arief in Thailand before stopping Ioka in the eleventh round in June 1989. The third Ioka meeting was therefore a successful defense, rather than a second title-winning bout. Napa lost the belt to Jum-Hwan Choi that November. He later challenged Hideyuki Ohashi for the minimumweight title in 1990 and Humberto Gonzalez at light flyweight in 1992, losing both. Further appearances in Japan during the late 1990s included Katsushige Kawashima and Tetsutora Senrima. His world championship period was brief, but the three Ioka contests distinguish the initial draw, the title victory and the subsequent defense.
The comeback phase ended with further assignments in Japan. He met Tetsutora Senrima in Kobe in December 1997 and Katsushige Kawashima in Yokohama in April 1999, losing both. His final listed appearance came against Yoshiaki Matsukura at Differ Ariake in October 2000. These later defeats belong to the return to competition, separate from his earlier championship reign.
Sources
Additional sources: https://boxerlist.com/boxer/napa-kiatwanchai/1132
- BoxRec: Napa Kiatwanchai
- BoxRec: WBC minimumweight title fights
- BoxRec: WBC light-flyweight title fights
- Los Angeles Times: González stops Kiatwanchai
