27Aug 2009

Q&A: Jimmy Chaichotchuang

By Ray Wheatley–World of Boxing

Leading Thailand promoter Jimmy Chaichotchuang started promoting in 1996 and has regular nationally televised shows featuring the cream of Thailand’s boxing stars. Jimmy talks to Fightnews and tells of his first promotion, how his uncle Police Colonel Kreerin Intrakaew sponsored him and also about boxers he managed such as Fahprakorb Rakkiattgym and Fahsung 3K Battery, who both battled Manny Pacquiao.

You are one of Thailand’s most successful promoters with regular nationally televised promotions on Channel Seven. What year did you begin your promotional career and who was your main event?

I started as a promoter on September 13, 1996 when I was 23-years-old. Colonel Kreerin Intrakaew, my uncle, was the founder and promoter of Kiat Kreerin Promotions. My uncle gave me the opportunity to be a promoter. My first event was between Fahsai Sakkreerin, the former IBF mini flyweight champion who defended the WBF flyweight title against Javier Juarez from Mexico at Maharakam Province, Thailand. It was great experience for my first promotion. Sakkreerin beat Juarez in a very exciting fight.

You were manager of Fahprakorb Rakkiattgym, who was one of Thailand’s most popular boxers having defeated world class Bobby Pacquiao, but lost in a world title bout to Manny Pacquiao. Please tell me about Rakkiattgym.

Rakkiatgym is my favorite boxer who held a powerful punch and an aggressive fighting style. He lost to Manny Pacquiao by knockout but he beat Bobby Pacquiao in round seven. He was a great champion even though he was unsuccessful in two world title shots.

Fahshung 3K Battery also boxed Manny Pacquiao and gave IBF 122lb

champion Steve Molitor a tough twelve round bout in a world title

challenge. Please tell me about 3K Battery and how he got his name.

3K Battery is his sponsor’s name who had supported him to be the champion. The sponsor 3K Battery does not support him any more, but we still used his sponsor name. 3K Battery also fought Manny Pacquiao and lost by TKO in four rounds.

Former world mini flyweight champion Fahlan Sakkreerin boxed in the USA just after the 9-11 attack in New York on one of Don King’s promotions. Tell me about that experience and Sakkreerin’s world title fights.

I took my boxer Fahlan Sakkreerin to New York for the WBO title fight scheduled on September 15, 2001 at Madison Sqaure Garden. We arrived in New York two weeks before the fight for his training. I’m always sad when I remember the 9-11 tragedy. The fight was postponed two weeks to September 29, 2009. Sakkreerin lost to Nelson Diappa by points. I spent about one month in New York as well as my boxer and the trainers. I have a lot of experience working with boxing promoter Don King. DKP is very nice promotion. They take care of all of their boxers who participate in fights around the world. I met Booby Goodman who always gives good advice to all boxers. DKP was very good and organized and they have a good reputation in the boxing business. DKP is my idol in boxing business.

You currently manage and promote one of Thailand’s hottest stars in the bantamweight division: Tantong Kiattaweesuk, who is undefeated in 12 fights and is a former national amateur champion. Are you currently trying to negotiate to bring world rated Michael Domingo to fight him? Did you bring Domingo to Thailand previously? How good is Kiattaweesuk?

Tantong is a future world champion in my opinion. He started to box in Muaythai when he was eight-years-old. He got his Thailand championship in Muaythai when he was twenty one years old. He fought more than one hundred fights in Muaythai. Because of his outstanding talent, Thailand amateur boxing association asked him to fight an amateur boxer and gave him a job in the army. He decided to serve the country and quit Muaythai to be the representative of Thailand’s amateur team. He is in Thailand Olympic Team. I saw his fight in television when he beat a Vietnamese boxer in round one in an amateur championship in the South East Asian Games in the Philippines. Tantong got Silver Medalist in South East Asian Games and bronze medalist in world military in South Africa. I noticed his talent right away. After that I contact with Thailand Amateur Boxing Association. They know I can make Tantong to become world champion. Tantong started professional boxing in 2007 and has only 12 fights but he look likes a boxer who have at least 50 fights in his career. He has his history in Muaythai and Amateur. And, he is doing his history in professional boxing by becoming world champion. Yes, Michael Domingo is a boxer I want to challenge Tantong. I bring Domingo to fight in Thailand in 2004 and he lost Teerapong Distar on points over twelve rounds. Domingo in 2009 could be better then he was in 2004 but I know Tantong can beat Domingo easier than Distar. I am trying to negotiate Domingo to fight in Thailand again.

You have an outstanding 130 pound boxer, Vacharkrit Senahan, who recently defeated world rated Fahsai Sakkreerin. Senahan is a university student and has challenged world rated Australian Billy Dib. Are you confident he can defeat Dib? What is Senarn studying at university?

Please let me talk about his beginning. Senahan is full of social responsibility. I opened the boxing camp in 2007. We advertised to all Thai youths to join with us for free in training, living, food and accommodations. There are 110 youths who joined – some with experience and others with no experience in boxing. Senahan had no experience as a boxer – he never fought in professional boxing. Senahan is a tough kid and has a desire to be a champion. He is the only one who is still in the boxing camp and the only one to become the IBF pan pacific junior lightweight champion in this year 2009.  About Billy Dib: Senahan is willing to fight any good boxer around the world. We went to the Philippines lost by disputed stoppage to Anthony Marcial who has an unbeaten record. I still wonder how the Filipino referee stopped the fight in round one. Senahan could have continued. Billy Dib is good boxer but Senhan has the style to beat him. I work with Bangkok Thonburi University to operate his boxing camp at the university. I promoted a world championship fight at this University in 2008.Senahan got a scholarship to study for a masters degree in business at  Bangkok Thonburi University. I would like to thank Mr. Stanley Beard, an Australian boxing fan and successful  buinessman, who supports our boxing projects.

You are a University teacher yourself. At which University and what subjects do you teach?

I am the teacher at Bangkok Thonburi University and teaching bachelor degree major sport management class on the faculty of business administration. My teaching area is in the sport management business, sport marketing and sport finance. I am studying for a doctorate in philosophy in sport management which is first batch in Thailand at Kasetsart University. I would like to share my experience and knowledge in sport business to my students. The idea of sport management is very new subject in Thailand in this moment. I believe sport is concerned with

How many years have your promotions been televised on Channel Seven. How many a year do you promote?

 All my promotions has been televised on Channel 7 since 1996. It is a good 13 years in boxing business. In 1996 I did an average of four promotions each year.Now, I produce a boxing television fight average of eight promotions each year. I think about 400 bouts.

 You were presented with an award by the International Boxing Federation for being the outstanding promoter in Asia. How many awards have you won? This must make you proud.

I am very proud to work with the IBF. The IBF is the leading boxing organization interms of good governance, productivity, honesty and trustworthiness. I am best friends with IBF President Marian Muahammad, Chairman of the Championship Committee Lindsey Tucker, Ratings Chairman Daryl Peoples and Vice President of Asia Region, Raymond Wheatley. I’ve worked with the IBF since 1999 when Robert Lee was IBF President. I was proud to receive the IBF Pan Pacific promoter awards in 2003 – 2008. And, my boxers get awards too for the best fight of the year. I would appreciate very much that the IBF recognizes my work in boxing

When and where is your next promotion and will Tantong Kiattaweesuk be in action on that show?

My next promotion is on September 18,2009. The main event is Tantong Kiattaweesuk 12-0 to defend for the sixth time the IBF Pan Pacific Bantamweightchampionship against Richard Olisa of Philippines 18-7-1. The undercard includes Fahsai Sakkreerin, Vacharakrit Senahan, Ruslee Samoh and other young boxers. The fight is televised throughout Thailand by Channel 7. Boxing fans may visit us and let us know you at www.kkboxing.com.

Fightnews :  http://www.fightnews.com/?p=21397