Titles: World Flyweight champion 1960-1962, 1963, 1964-1965

Record: 33-7

Born: February 12, 1936 Hui Hui Province, Thailand 

Years active: 1955-1966

Nickname: None  

Pone Kingpetch distinguished himself by becoming the first and one of the best in 
a long line of excellent champions from Thailand. Strangely however Pone never 
fought in the capitol of Thailand until he became a champion. Pone a very smooth 
jabbing boxer had no trouble wining the title.....his problem was defending it! 
As a boxer Kingpetch is best described as stylist who used his long reach to jab 
and keep his opponents off balance. Pone also used his feet well to maneuver 
himself out of trouble that his somewhat questionable jaw could not handle. Pone
Kingpetch was one of nine children and only had 3 amateur fights before turning 
pro. Kingpetch first gained world recognition and rankings in his third year as
a pro when he defeated tough Danny Kid of the Philippines in 1957 over 12 rounds
for the Oriental flyweight title. Here Kingpetch would first show his tendency to 
loose after winning a title when he lost after that impressive win to Leo Espinoza. 
1959-1960 were lean years for Pone as he waited for a title shot. In 1960 he got 
that chance against legendary Pascual Perez who had been the champion for 5 years. 
In a great battle, Kingpetch a 2-1 underdog used his 7 inch reach advantage to 
keep Perez at long range and prevent Perez from using his considerable boxing 
skills. Kingpetch threw out a hard jab when Perez tried to work his way inside 
and Pone countered well throughout the fight keeping Perez frustrated the whole 
fight. Both men were marked up after the fight as Pone's left eye was swollen shut 
and Perez had a big gash over his right eye. The only neutral judge Nate Fleischer 
scored the fight by 6 points in favor of Kingpetch giving him the split decision 
win. A rematch with Perez was set for Los Angeles this time the result was even 
more impressive for Kingpetch as he stopped Perez in the eighth round. Fighting 
for the first time outside of his native Thailand Kingpetch looked impressive. 
Once again the reach proved to be the undoing for Perez who took many chances 
during the fight and paid the price in the eighth round. Two title defenses in 
Tokyo followed before Kingpetch would meet teenage phenom Fighting Harada and 
loose his title via knockout in 1962. Kingpetch came into the fight in Tokyo as 
the favorite but was smothered from the opening round and forced to the ropes 
from the outset where Harada worked him over. Pone could never get his jab going 
and it was never the factor everyone expected it to be, Harada gave Pone what can 
only be described as a beating and Pone surcame to the punishment in the 11th 
round. Three months later Kingpetch supported by 15,000 of his countryman and the 
King of Thailand who sat in a specially build throne at ringside became the first 
man to ever regain the flyweight title. Kingpetch using the jab that was not 
evident in the previous fight with Harada scored a impressive points win. The heat 
in that fight was stifling and Harada after another fast start eventually wore 
down from the constant jabbing and body work given by Pone and faded badly in the 
later rounds. The scoring was close but once again the one neutral judge scored in 
favor of Kingpetch. Pone once again would not hold on the title for long however
as in his first defense he was knocked out by hard punching Hiroyuki Ebihara. The 
reports that Kingpetch was reportedly drained from making weight did not make a 
difference. Pone only landed one punch during the first and only round. Ebihara 
rocked Kingpetch with his first punch and swarmed the champion for the rest of 
the round before knocking Pone out cold. The fight only lasted two minutes and 
seven seconds. Ebihara made the same mistake as Harada however in giving the now 
27 year old Pone a rematch. Kingpetch was a man who learned well from his mistakes 
and stayed away from Ebihara's big right hand while taking a 15 round unanimous 
decision and regaining the flyweight title for a unprecedented third time. From 
the 6th round on Pone took over with his jab and in the later rounds he added 
right uppercuts to his game which sealed the fate of Ebihara. Again his title 
reign was a short one as fifteen months later Salvatore Bruno took the title from 
Pone in a dull 15 round fight. It was now obvious Kingpetch had reached the end 
of his career as his punches looked listless and inaccurate. Pone wisely retired 
leaving behind a lasting legacy for other Thai fighters to follow. Kingpetch died 
of Pneumonia in Bangkok in 1982 at the age of 46.   
    

 
     1955

     Feb 10  Suwan Napapol           Bangkok                 L 6
     -----   G. Noknid               Tor Sor, Thailand       KO 2
     -----   C. Saatonghin           Tor Sor, Thailand       W 8
     -----   Yutaphol Raksu          Bangkok                 W 10
     -----   Opas Eto                Bangkok                 W 10

     1956

     -----   Yutaphol Raksu          Bangkok                 W 10
     -----   Opas Eto                Bangkok                 W 10
     May 10  Kunio Vithichai         Bangkok                 KO by 9
     Jul 18  Kunio Vithichai         Bangkok                 KO 6
     Sep 10  Posu Punthulkiet        Bangkok                 W 10
     Oct 12  Cambodia Minton         Bangkok                 KO 4
     Nov 6   Kunio Vithichai         Bangkok                 W 10

     1957

     Jan 6   Danny Kid               Bangkok                 W 12
     Jul 7   Leo Espinosa            Bangkok                 L 12
     Sep 14  Hitoshi Misako          Bangkok                 W 12
  
     1958

     Jan 11  Dommy Ursua             Bangkok                 W D.Q 5
     Mar 14  Masaja Iwamoto          Bangkok                 W D.Q 10
     Jul 3   S. Somyos               Bangkok                 KO 5
     Nov 4   Daengtoi Srisojthorn    Bangkok                 W 8

     1959

     Feb 17  Manuel Armenteros       Bangkok                 W 10

     1960

     Jan 31  Baby Ross               Bangkok                 KO 4
     Apr 16  Pascual Perez           Bangkok                 W 15
             (Wins World Flyweight Title)
     Sep 22  Pascual Perez           Los Angeles             KO 8
             (Retains World Flyweight Title)

     1961

     Mar 2   Jose Luis Martinez      Bangkok                 W 10
     Jun 27  Mitsunori Seki          Tokyo                   W 15
             (Retains World Flyweight Title)

     1962

     Feb 19  Baby Demillones         Bangkok                 KO 8
     May 30  Kyo Noguchi             Tokyo                   W 15
             (Retains World Flyweight Title)
     Oct 10  Fighting Harada         Tokyo                   KO by 11
             (Loses World Flyweight Title)

     1963

     Jan 12  Fighting Harada         Bangkok                 W 15
             (Regains World Flyweight Title)
     Sep 18  Hiroyuki Ebihara        Tokyo                   KO by 1
             (Loses World Flyweight Title)

     1964

     Jan 23  Hiroyuki Ebihara        Bangkok                 W 15
             (Regains World Flyweight Title)

     1965

     Apr 23  Salvator Burruni        Rome                    L 15
             (Loses World Flyweight Title)

     1966

     Feb 17  Baby Lorona             Bangkok                 KO 4
     Apr 13  Kumantong Yontrakit     Bangkok                 KO 4