Napa Kiatwanchai

Who is Napa Kiatwanchai?

'Napa Kiatwanchai is the former World Boxing Council strawweight champion from Nakorn Rachasima province, Thailand.

He was born in a Chinese family in Thailand and turned professional in 1987. The next year he fought Hiroki Ioka for the WBC strawweight title. The bout ended in a draw and in the rematch Kiatwanchai won the title by a twelve-round majority decision. He defended the title twice before losing to Jum-Hwan Choi on November 12, 1989. He beat future champion Rolando Pascua before challenging for the WBC title again, on June 8, 1990. He lost to champion Hideyuki Ohashi by a twelve-round unanimous decision. His final try at the title came in 1992, when Humberto González knocked him out in defense of Gonzalez's WBC light flyweight title.

Kiatwanchai stopped boxing in 1992 but made a comeback in 1996. He only won one fight during this comeback and retired for good in 2000.

Here are some facts before Napa's first title contending match with Ioka:-

Napa had only 6 professional fights, and never had an amateur fight before. Napa was expected to extend the age of the champ Hiroki Ioka, so, he was sent to Japan with his trainer Kunoi Withichai only 2 people. Napa was sent to canvas for an 8 count earlier, but after that kept opposing and hitting until half way of the 12 round when the champ Ioka was going to be Ko'd the bell suddenly rung so as to save the champ. Before the fight with Ioka, Napa's boxing name was Chokchaichew Na Pattaya, and the real Napa Kiatwanchai was actually another former IBF and WBC champion Muangchai Kittikasem, but Muangchai was not ready to go, so, the manager put Chokchaichew in place of him, and since then he became Napa Kiatwanchai.