Yodsanklai Fairtex

Yodsanklai Fairtex a.k.a. Yod (Thai: ยอดแสนไกล แฟร์เท็กซ์; born, July 1, 1985) is a retired Thai Muay Thai kickboxer. He is a former WBC Muay Thai World Super welterweight champion at 154 lbs, and a two-time Lumpinee Stadium champion in the 112 and 147 lb weight classes. He is also the first champion of The Contender Asia. He was nicknamed "The Boxing Computer" by Thai sports newspapers as a testament to his perfect fighting technique.

He trains out of Fairtex Gym in Pattaya, Thailand, On June 11, 2017, he announced on Facebook that he would be retiring from fighting. On Dec 26, 2017, he announced on Facebook that he will come back to ring in February 2018. In his return, Yodsanklai signed with ONE Championship.

As of 1 November 2018, he is ranked by Combat Press 5th lightweight in the world. As of September 6, 2019, he is ranked the #10 lightweight in the world by Combat Press.

Background

Yodthanong Photirat was born in the Nong Bua Lamphu Province in Northeastern Thailand, the hotbed of Muay Thai. He was introduced to the sport by his older brother Yodkangwan and started practicing when he was eight years old after watching his brothers' fights. He had his first fight at a temple fair in Ban Na Dee, his hometown, and received a fight fee of 20 ฿.

Career

Before joining Fairtex in 2005, Yodsanklai fought for three camps: Saknipaporn, Sit-Khru-Od and Petchyindee. In August 2005, fighting under the name of Yodsanklai Petchyindee (ยอดแสนไกล เพชรยินดี), he won one of the most prestigious Muay Thai titles, the Lumpinee Stadium belt, by knocking out Runglaew. He became the 154 pound WBC Muay Thai World Champion by defeating Australian John Wayne Parr on December 10, 2005, in Gold Coast, Australia. In 2005, he won the Champion of Thailand (154 lb) title.

On June 30, 2006, Yodsanklai made his K-1 Max debut at Superfight at the K-1 World MAX 2006 World Championship Final held in Yokohama, Japan. He won against Kamal el Amrani by three round unanimous decision. Yodsanklai defended his WBC title on November 11, 2006, against Mark Vogel in Wuppertal, Germany, winning the fight by first round elbow knockout.

On November 29, 2007, Yodsanklai had a non-title contest at the "France vs Thailand" event held in Paris, France, against the Frenchmen Farid Villaume. Yodsanklai won the fight by third round referee stoppage TKO.

He fought former stablemate Kem Sitsongpeenong at Muay Thai Combat Mania: Pattaya in Pattaya, Thailand, on December 30, 2012, at a weight of 71 kg/156 lb, with same-day weigh-ins. Despite having not made such a low weight in a number of years, Yod came in at the limit in visibly better shape than in most of his recent fights and KO'd Kem with an elbow in round three.

Yod knocked out Gregory Choplin in round three at Lion Fight 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on January 25, 2013. He defeated Yohan Lidon by unanimous decision in a rematch at Warriors Night in Levallois, France, on March 2, 2013. On April 19, 2013, Yodsanklai TKO'd Naimjon Tuhtaboyev in round two at Thai Fight in Pattaya.

In June 2013, it was initially reported that Yodsanklai would fight Antoine Pinto at Thai Fight in Bangkok. However, his opponent was later switched to Kazbek Zubarov. He won via TKO at the end of round one when Zubarov suffered an injury.

Yod defeated Chike Lindsay for the inaugural Lion Fight Middleweight (-70 kg/154 lb) Championship at Lion Fight 10 in Las Vegas on July 26, 2013. Lindsay started well, but Yodsanklai took over in round two and began to cut the American up before taking the unanimous decision.

It was reported that Yod would fight Raphaël Llodra at the WBC World Muay Thai Millennium Championship in Saint-Pierre, Réunion, on September 7, 2013. However, he turned the fight down for monetary reasons. Instead, he knocked out Vladimir Konsky with a first round elbow in the quarter-finals of the 2013 edition of Thai Fight's -70 kg/154 lb tournament in Thailand on October 23, 2013. Then in semifinals, he defeated Samy Sana on November 30, 2013, and advanced to the final. He would go on to knock out Expedito Valin and win the tournament.

Yod was set to fight at Hero Legends in Jinan, China, on December 3, 2014 but withdrew for undisclosed reasons. He was also briefly expected to fight in the main event of Lion Fight 13 in Las Vegas on February 7, 2014, but quickly withdrew. He returned to the ring and beat Keo Rumchong by second-round KO at Thai Fight: Hua Hin 2014 in Hua Hin, Thailand, on February 22, 2014.

On May 1, 2017, Combat Press ranked Yodsanklai the #4 lightweight in the world.

On February 3, 2018, Yodsanklai returned to the ring, scoring a unanimous decision against German Enriko Kehl at Wu Lin Feng in Shenzhen, China.

ONE Championship

Yodsanklai then signed for ONE Championship. In his debut, he defeated Chris Ngimbi via unanimous decision. In his second bout with the promotion, he knocked out Luis Regis in the first round. At ONE Championship: A New Era on March 31, 2019, Yodsanklai defeated Andy Souwer by second-round technical knockout.

He was then entered in to the ONE Super Series Kickboxing Featherweight World Grand Prix, alongside the likes of Giorgio Petrosyan, Andy Souwer, and Petchmorrakot Petchyindee Academy. He would lose to Samy Sana by unanimous decision in Grand Prix Quarter-Finals at ONE Championship: Enter the Dragon.

On October 23, 2019, it was announced that Yodsanklai was scheduled to face World Lethwei Championship champion Sasha Moisa at ONE Championship: Age Of Dragons, his opponent was changed to Jamal Yusupov. In an upset, Yodsanklai lost to Yusupov, who'd taken the fight on short notice, by second-round knockout. This marked Yodsanklai's first knockout loss since 2005.

On June 28, 2020, it was announced that Yodsanklai would challenge Phetmorakot Petchyindee Academy for the ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Championship at ONE Championship: No Surrender on July 31, 2020. Despite showing an improved performance from his last two fights, Yodsanklai was unable to win the title and lost to Phetmorakot by split decision.

Second retirement

On March 1, 2021, Yodsanklai announced his second retirement on social media.

Titles

• Lion Fight
  • 2014 Lion Fight Middleweight (-70 kg/154 lb) Championship
  • 2013 Lion Fight Middleweight (-70 kg/154 lb) Championship
• Thai Fight
  • 2014 Thai Fight -70 kg/154 lb Tournament Championship
  • 2013 Thai Fight -70 kg/154 lb Tournament Championship
  • 14–1 record
• World Muaythai Council (WMC)
  • 2012 WMC World Middleweight (160 lbs) champion
  • 2010 WMC/S1 King's Cup Challenger tournament champion
  • 2008 WMC World Middleweight (160 lbs) champion
  • 2008 WMC Contender Asia champion
• Toyota Marathon
  • 2011 Toyota Vigo Marathon tournament runner up - 72 kg
  • 2003 Toyota D4D Marathon tournament (126 lbs) winner
• SportAccord Combat Games
  • 2010 SportAccord Combat Games Silver medal - 75 kg
• World Professional Muaythai Federation (WPMF)
  • 2009 WPMF World Super Middleweight (168 lbs) champion
  • 2006 WPMF World Super Welterweight (154 lbs) champion
• Super 8
  • 2008 Super 8 Guinea tournament champion
• KO World Series
  • 2008 KO World Series Auckland Middleweight champion
• WBC Muay Thai
  • 2005–2009 WBC Muay Thai World Super Welterweight (154 lbs) champion
• Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (PAT)
  • 2005 Professional Boxing Association of Thailand (PAT) Super Welterweight (154 lbs) champion
• Lumpinee Stadium
  • 2005 Lumpinee Stadium Welterweight (147 lbs) champion
  • 2001 Lumpinee Stadium Flyweight (112 lbs) champion
  • 1999 Lumpinee Stadium Mini-Flyweight (105 lbs) champion

Fight record

Amateur record

See also

• List of male kickboxers
• Champions of Champions Elite

References