Sot Chitalada

Sot Chitalada (born 5 May 1962) in Chonburi, Thailand, was formerly twice WBC Flyweight Champion.

Chitalada built a reputation as a Muay Thai champion in Thailand before making the transition to professional boxing. After winning his first four professional fights, he challenged WBC Light flyweight Champion Jung Koo Chang on 31 March 1984, losing a twelve-round decision.

Undaunted by the Chang loss, he won two more fights and a little over six months later shocked WBC Flyweight Champion Gabriel Bernal, winning the world championship in his home country at Bangkok.

Chitalada is perhaps best-remembered for his fights with Bernal. The two met again twice in Bangkok. On 22 June 1985, Bernal fought Chitalada to a twelve-round draw, Chitalada keeping the title. Bernal made another attempt eighteen months later, but on 10 December 1986 he lost another twelve-round decision to Chitalada. This was Bernal's final attempt at the Flyweight title.

Chitalada brought stability to the WBC Flyweight title, the six title holders prior to Bernal all losing the belt in their first defences, and Bernal losing his second defence. Following the first Bernal fight, Chitalada made six title defences (and won several non-title fights). During this run he defeated former world champions Charlie Magri and Freddy Castillo. He lost the title on 24 July 1988, travelling to South Korea and losing a twelve-round decision to Yong Kang Kim.

After winning three more fights, Chitalada lured Kim for a rematch in his home country of Thailand. This time, it was Chitalada who came out on top, winning a twelve-round decision. Chitalada made four more title defences after he regained the title. In his third defence, he made his first and only fight in the Western Hemisphere, defeating Richard Clarke by an eleventh-round knockout in Kingston, Jamaica, thus retaining his title. For his fourth defence, he travelled to Seoul to avenge the only other loss in his career, to Jung Koo Chang. Following the Chang fight, on 15 February 1991 Chitalada defended his title against fellow-countryman Muangchai Kittikasem. This fight ended Chitalada's reign as he suffered his first knockout, Kittikasem stopping him in Round 6 to take the title. Chitalada won two more fights before challenging Kittikasem to a rematch, but the result was the same, this time it ended in a ninth-round stoppage. That fight would be the last of Chitalada's career, he retired and never attempted a comeback.

From 2006 to 2007, Chitalada taught Muay Thai at the Muay Thai Institute of Kunponli in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has since moved to teach martial arts in California.

External links

* [http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/sot-chit.htm The Cyber Boxing Zone - Sot Chitalada]

References

*boxrec|id=003348