By:  | June 21, 2022 9:13 am

With two wins in his last ten fights Sangmanee PKSaenchaigym was in something of a slump. At one stage he was the best pound for pound Muay Thai fighter on the planet but the 25 year old’s stock has fallen fast in recent years.

He turned things around last night with one of the best knockouts in recent memory at Rajadamnern Stadium. He finished  Petchmanee Por Lakboon with a tomahawk elbow in the fourth round:

Far from finished

Petchmanee was in a bad way afterwards, completely unconscious with blood pouring from his nose and mouth. It was a bad way to lose but the best possible way for Sangmanee to win and remind fans that he is far from finished.

He did it on one of the biggest shows of the year. The event took 1 million baht ($28,000 USD) at the box office and was one of the biggest shows that the sport has scene since the pandemic.

There was another lucrative card at Rajadamnern last month when Sam-A Gaiyanghadao returned to the stadium scene to take on Thongnoi Lookbanyai. He won by decision to capture the True4U 126 lbs title.

Watching Sangmanee was Rodtang Jitmuangnon who was a big star at Rajadamnern before signing with ONE Championship:

The Muay Thai industry in Thailand was devastated by the pandemic. Gyms closed and fighters were forced to retire as tourists stopped coming to Thailand and live events ground to a halt.

It did not help matters that the country’s first ever Covid-19 cluster was traced back to an event at Lumpinee Stadium. The promoter had defied government orders to put on a show with a live crowd when restrictions had already been put in place.

But Muay Thai seems to be bouncing back in 2021 with crowds once again flocking to watch fights in Bangkok. The audience would have gone home very happy last night after witnessing Sangmanee’s once in a lifetime KO and an all out war between Kongklai AnnyMuayThai and Kulabdam Sor Jor Piek Uthai in the main event.