Nawaphon Kaikanha’s Championship Pursuit Spanned Flyweight
Nawaphon Kaikanha faced Juan Hernández for the vacant WBC flyweight championship in Bangkok on March 4, 2017. Hernández stopped the previously unbeaten Thai contender in the third round.
The flyweight title opportunity
Also billed as Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai, the Thai boxer entered the championship contest unbeaten. Hernández’s victory brought the vacant 112-pound belt to Mexico and handed Nawaphon his first professional defeat.
Bantamweight eliminators
Nawaphon later moved into a WBC bantamweight eliminator against Jason Moloney at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on October 16, 2022. Moloney won unanimously over twelve rounds, with scores of 118–110 twice and 119–109.
Another WBC eliminator followed against Vincent Astrolabio in Bangkok on August 26, 2023. Nawaphon recovered from a slow start to make the middle rounds competitive, but Astrolabio knocked him down in the eleventh and forced a referee’s stoppage.
The Astrolabio contest became much closer after the Filipino controlled the opening rounds. Nawaphon began landing heavier hooks and right hands in the sixth and seventh. After eight rounds, two judges had the bout level at 76–76, while the third favored Astrolabio 77–75. Nawaphon continued attacking the body, but an eleventh-round right hand dropped him. He rose unsteadily and the referee intervened when Astrolabio resumed his attack, ending the Thai boxer’s latest eliminator opportunity.
Sources
- World Boxing Council: Hernández–Nawaphon world championship result
- World Boxing Council: Moloney–Nawaphon eliminator date and venue
- World Boxing Council: Moloney–Nawaphon result and scorecards
- PhilBoxing / Eric Armit: Astrolabio–Nawaphon eliminator report
