Thailand has a new world champion again. Boxing cycles through droughts and downpours in every nation, but few countries have shaped the lighter weight classes quite like Thailand. After several lean years, the tide finally turned on Thursday when former strawweight ruler Thammanoon Niyomtrong stepped up to challenge Junior Leandro Zarate for the vacant WBC light flyweight title, headlining the 63rd WBC Convention in Bangkok.
The matchup wasn't the one originally scripted for the event. Zarate arrived as a late replacement after reigning champion Carlos Canizales was forced out -- Venezuela's political turmoil freezing outbound fights and prompting the WBC to name him "champion in recess." With the convention approaching and the slot empty, Zarate stepped in on just a week's notice to keep the title fight alive.
Across from him stood Thammanoon -- Knockout CP Freshmart -- the pride of Surin, a long-reigning former champion at 105lbs who lost his belt to Oscar Collazo in Riyadh last year. Now back in Bangkok, guided as always by former world champion Chatchai Sasakul, he returned not to defend, but to reclaim his place on the world stage.
It was a compelling pairing of two seasoned fighters, both deep into their careers and both searching for a new chapter. For Zarate, it was a second shot at world honours -- and a rare journey onto foreign soil.
From the opening bell, the dynamic was clear: Thammanoon moved forward with intent, letting combinations flow and controlling the inside. Zarate answered with well-timed counters, digging to the body and firing crisp left hooks upstairs, showing the composure of a man who has seen every style the sport has to offer.
Early on, the Argentine handled the exchanges with poise, using his height to offset Thammanoon's rushes. But the rhythm of the hometown fighter soon began to take hold. Backed by a Bangkok crowd that roared with every advance, Thammanoon found a steady groove, chipping away in close and steadily wearing down his opponent. By the middle rounds, Zarate's reactions slowed and the momentum shifted decisively.
A cut opened above Thammanoon's right eyebrow in the later frames, but his corner managed it with veteran calm. Zarate tried to rally, sensing the urgency, but the window had already narrowed. Thammanoon kept marching forward, sharp, disciplined, and unwilling to yield. He fought like a man intent on restoring something that belonged to him -- and on this night, nothing broke that resolve.
To further minimise controversy, the WBC appointed five judges instead of the usual three. Four scored it 116-112, and the fifth 117-111, leaving no doubt about the outcome.
It was a commanding win for the fighter from the Land of Smiles, delivered inside the ballroom of the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park, where flags, champions, and delegates from around the world gathered for the convention. And when the green belt was wrapped around his waist once more, it felt less like the end of a fight than the start of a resurgence.
Because in Thai boxing, when a champion rises again, the whole country rises with him.